""With this change, we are answering the call for rapid delivery of advanced GPS capability while the Vulcan anomaly investigation continues," said Col. Ryan Hiserote, director of the National Security Space Launch program."
""This is not a good look for United Launch Alliance, once the US military's sole launch provider. SpaceX began launching US national security missions in 2018 after winning the right to compete for military launch contracts with its Falcon 9 rocket.""
""The military opened a series of launch contracts to the competition, and in 2020, it selected ULA for 60 percent and SpaceX for 40 percent of its missions up for awards through the end of 2023.""
The Space Force confirmed that GPS III SV10 will launch on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket instead of ULA's Vulcan. This decision was made to ensure rapid delivery of advanced GPS capabilities while the Vulcan anomaly investigation is ongoing. SpaceX's ability to utilize reusable boosters allows for flexible scheduling of new missions. The shift reflects a decline in ULA's position as the primary military launch provider, as SpaceX has increasingly secured more military launch contracts since entering the market in 2018.
Read at Ars Technica
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