Space Force adds Relativity and Impulse to its $5.6B national-security launch program

The US Space Force added Relativity Space and Impulse Space to the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 contract — a potential $5.6B multiple-award vehicle covering risk-tolerant national-security missions flown on commercial-capable vehicles. Lane 1 reopens annually to onboard new providers; qualifying requires a completed launch or a credible plan for one.

Why it matters

NSSL eligibility is the credential that turns a launch startup into a defense contractor — a demand channel with budget stability no commercial manifest matches. For Relativity (rebuilding around the larger Terran R) it's the customer that can anchor the vehicle's business case before frequent flights exist; the annual on-ramp also signals the Space Force wants a deep bench beyond SpaceX and ULA, which keeps the door open for Firefly's class of vehicles too.

What to watch

First task orders awarded to either company, and Terran R's launch timeline against the Lane 1 mission windows.