KODIAK, ALASKA — The U.S. Space Force’s acquisitions arm announced a $266 million multi-launch contract with Rocket Lab for missions launching from Alaska. The launches will start this year and will primarily take place from a new Rocket Lab location at the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska (PSCA) in Kodiak.

The agreement covers 12 to 18 launches intended to support military satellite operations. Top Space Force officials and lawmakers are concerned that the Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg bases will be unable to handle the projected increase in military-satellite launches. The Space Force expects to launch more than 100 rockets a year within five years, and potentially expects to launch thousands of rockets a year by 2036.

The missile-defense missions included in the contract will be handled by Rocket Lab’s HASTE rocket, which is a suborbital variant of its Electron rocket. A Rocket Lab spokesperson stated that the shared technology facilitates expansion into the region. "Both rockets use the same launch infrastructure so yes, operating out of Alaska naturally opens the door to a broader range of possibilities including orbital launch." The spokesperson added that the operational knowledge gained is portable. "It's important to remember too that the core systems, infrastructure, and expertise we build and refine in Alaska aren't tied to just one location."

The Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska is a state-owned spaceport and commercial rocket launch facility in Alaska. The site has hosted nine orbital missions since it was founded in 1998. Clayton Swope, deputy director of CSIS’ Aerospace Security Project, noted the strategic value of adding a third major launch hub.

"Putting something in Alaska, you kind of get both of those things," Swope said. He explained that the move reduces reliance on existing hubs while offering specific orbital advantages. "You get this diversification away from the two main launch sites we have, and you are creating a launch site that is more optimized around a different type of use, which is related to the orbit, the inclination," Swope said.

Charles Galbreth, a retired Space Force colonel who directs space studies at the Mitchell Institute, described the Alaska site as an asset awaiting utilization. "It's a capacity or a capability waiting for a demand signal," Galbreth said. He indicated that the new location would function alongside existing infrastructure rather than replacing it. "So there's got to be the combination," Galbreth said.

Brian Weeden, director of civil and commercial policy for the Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy, acknowledged the potential for growth in the region. "I certainly think there is room for an expansion of different kinds of launch activity in Alaska," Weeden said. He cautioned that the remote nature of Kodiak presents challenges not found at established coastal launch centers.

"You're going to get the payloads transported up there, and that may be a little bit harder to do in a more remote location like Kodiak, as opposed to a place like Cape Canaveral or Vandenberg, where a lot of infrastructure already exists," he said. Weeden concluded that the Alaska site would serve a complementary role in the national launch architecture. "I don't think it's going to probably take the place of also standing in other areas," he said.

Why It Matters

The contract addresses Space Force concerns that existing bases cannot handle a projected increase to over 100 annual launches within five years. By utilizing the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska, the military diversifies away from its two main launch sites while optimizing for specific orbital inclinations. This expansion establishes a complementary hub capable of supporting potential future volumes reaching thousands of rockets per year by 2036. The launches will start this year.