SpaceX wins its second Air Force launch contract, beating out the United Launch Alliance

The Verge ------- SpaceX has beat out the United Launch Alliance to win its second launch contract from the US Air Force. The contract, valued at $96.5 million, entails launching the Air Force’s third GPS III satellite sometime in 2019. It’s the second time that SpaceX has won a launch contract from the military, but it’s the first time that the company competed with ULA for the gig. SpaceX received certification to launch military satellites in 2015 and then won its first Air Force launch contract in April 2016: a contract valued at $87.2 million to launch the military’s second GPS-III satellite. However, SpaceX essentially won the contract by default, since ULA — the only other launch provider certified to launch Air Force satellites — declined to bid for it. “SpaceX is proud to have been selected to support this important National Security Space Mission,” SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement. “We appreciate the confidence that the U.S. Air Force has placed in our company and we look forward to working together towards the successful launch of another GPS-III mission." To learn more click on the picture below to read the article.