Eight companies, including SpaceX and ULA, selected under Air Force contract

Eight spaceflight companies have been awarded a nearly $1 billion contract from the Air Force to further develop and capitalize on launch providers' growing abilities to send small payloads to orbit.

The companies were selected as part of a $986 million contract slated to run over a nine-year ordering period. The Air Force and Department of Defense have long been interested in establishing fast launch operations, especially in a rapidly advancing spaceflight industry. Instead of waiting years and spending billions on the development of massive satellites, this contract focuses on smaller spacecraft that could go from the ordering phase to orbit within 12 to 24 months.

"The contract seeks to capitalize on the emerging small launch providers while providing dedicated and primary launch services to the Department of Defense and other government agencies," the Department of Defense said. "The program allows for the rapid acquisition of launch services to meet mission requirements for payloads greater than 400 pounds."

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The eight companies selected to split the contract were:

• SpaceX of Hawthorne, California
• Xbow Launch Systems of Auburn, California
• Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems of Chandler, Arizona
• Firefly Black of Cedar Park, Texas
• United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colorado
• Aevum of Huntsville, Alabama
• Vox Space of El Segundo, California
• Rocket Lab USA of Huntington Beach, California

Of the eight, four companies – SpaceX, ULA, Northrop Grumman, and Firefly – have operations on the Space Coast.

Contact Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com or 321-242-3715. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @EmreKelly.