WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a combined $13.7 billion in launch service contracts to SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Blue Origin, marking the first time three companies will share responsibility for launching high-priority military and intelligence payloads.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...