Falcon-9 rocket launch. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales) U.S. Air Force has certified the SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch System to l...
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| Falcon-9 rocket launch. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman Yvonne Morales) |
The certification will enable SpaceX to compete into the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program along with ULA.
Lieutenant General Samuel Greaves, Commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space announced the decision.
The first upcoming opportunity for SpaceX to compete to provide launch services is projected to be in June when the Air Force releases a Request for Proposal for GPS III launch services.
SpaceX has already completed the requirement of three successful launches, for certification in 2013. The certification process provides a path for launch-service providers to demonstrate the capability to design, produce, qualify, and deliver a new launch system and provide the mission assurance support required to deliver national security space satellites to orbit.
USAF invested more than $60 million and 150 people in the certification effort which encompassed 125 certification criteria, including more than 2,800 discrete tasks, 3 certification flight demonstrations, verifying 160 payload interface requirements, 21 major subsystem reviews and 700 audits in order to establish the technical baseline from which the Air Force will make future flight worthiness determinations for launch.
In February, SpaceX dropped its suit against USAF, for awarding the long-term EELV contract to United Launch Alliance (ULA), on a sole-source basis without any competition.
National security payloads include surveillance and communication satellites for U.S. defense forces.
