An Air Force official said seven to 10 missions to be awarded competitively would include a number of GPS 3 satellite launches, which appear well suited to the capabilities of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (left). Meanwhile, a National Reconnaissance Office mission dubbed NROL-79 will launch atop ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket. Credit: An Air Force official said seven to 10 missions to be awarded competitively would include a number of GPS 3 satellite launches, which appear well suited to the capabilities of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (left). Meanwhile, a National Reconnaissance Office mission dubbed NROL-79 will launch atop ULA’s Atlas 5 rocket. SpaceX/ULA

SpaceX and United Launch Alliance are setting personal records in lobbying.

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Jeff Foust writes about space policy, commercial space, and related topics for SpaceNews. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science...