Space Force hands Blue Origin first national security launch task order

The U.S. Space Force awarded Blue Origin its first NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 task order on May 28, 2026 - hours before the New Glenn rocket exploded during a hotfire at Cape Canaveral's LC-36. Designated NRO Task Order-4, the award directs Blue Origin to launch a National Reconnaissance Office satellite from Cape Canaveral in the fourth quarter of 2027 or first quarter of 2028 under the lower-risk Lane 1 contracting track, which is reserved for missions that can accept greater launch risk than the military's most critical payloads. A May 29 Space Force press release confirmed the service remains a 'committed partner' with Blue Origin and that the ground-test explosion does not trigger automatic disqualification under Phase 3 program rules.