On March 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the United States Space Force has selected Rocket Lab USA and Stoke Space to participate in the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program.
The multiple-award, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract, awarded by the Space System Command, has a maximum value of $5.6 billion and includes an ordering period until 2029, with an option for a five-year extension.
The two selected companies will each receive an initial $5 million task order to perform a capabilities assessment to demonstrate their tailored mission assurance process.
Rocket Lab and Stoke will thus join SpaceX, Blue Origin, and ULA, already selected in June 2024, to compete for at least 30 NSSL missions.
“With today’s award, the Space Force expanded our portfolio of launch systems able to deliver critical space capability. These new partners bring innovative approaches and increased competition to our mission area.”
— Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, USSF program executive officer for Assured Access to Space
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New launch solutions for the Space Force
The selection of Rocket Lab and Stoke is further confirmation of the DoD’s confidence in the respective projects of the two companies, the Neutron and Nova launch vehicles. Despite both falling into the medium-class launcher category, the two projects stem from very different approaches and company backgrounds.
Leveraging its strong and long experience in the space sector, Rocket Lab has been developing Neutron since 2021. The 43-meter-high, partially reusable carbon composite rocket will have a payload capacity of 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit.
The first stage, powered by nine Lox/Methane closed cycle Archimedes engines, features an innovative reusable integrated fairing system.
Rocket Lab is currently planning Neutron’s maiden flight for the second half of 2025. The launch pad is under competition at the Wallops facility in Virginia.
Stoke Space, a significantly younger company, is developing Nova, a groundbreaking, fully reusable, two-stage launch vehicle with a payload capacity of around 3,000 kg to LEO (100% reusability). The booster is equipped with seven Lox/Methane full-flow staged-combustion Zenith engines and three landing legs.
However, the major innovation of Nova is likely its reusable second stage, powered by the Andromeda engine, consisting of a ring of 24 vacuum-optimized thrusters. Equipped with an actively cooled metallic heat shield, the stage will enable reentry from high-energy orbits and landings on unprepared surfaces.
Andromeda Hotfire ✅ pic.twitter.com/ev0ZwCQkVn
— Stoke Space (@stoke_space) February 17, 2025
Stoke recently carried firing test campaigns of both the first stage’s Zenith engine and the improved Andromeda 2 upper-stage engine. The company is working toward a debut of Nova at the end of 2025/ early 2026 from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral.
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