Overview
- The Space Force added Relativity Federal and Impulse Space to the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract pool in a contract announcement that obligated $10 million against a $5.6 billion IDIQ vehicle.
- Being added to Lane 1 makes the companies eligible to bid for task orders but does not guarantee any launches because each mission requires separate flight‑readiness and tailored mission‑assurance approvals.
- Relativity is developing the medium‑lift Terran R rocket that has not yet flown and must clear technical milestones before it could carry national security payloads.
- Impulse builds orbital transfer vehicles and a high‑energy kick stage called Helios that could perform final orbital delivery for launches provided by other rocket makers.
- The Lane 1 expansion is meant to broaden competition for lower‑risk missions, ease reliance on a few suppliers as launch demand rises, and enable new business models that pair rockets with space tugs.