"Vulcan certification adds launch capacity, resiliency and flexibility needed by our nation's most critical space-based systems."

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) ("Rocket Lab" or "the Company"), a global leader in launch services and space systems, has today been selected by the U.S. Space Force to compete for the Department of Defense’s highest-priority national security missions for its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program.

Vulcan's certification means SpaceX should have at least one competitor for future launches - though several other firms are lining up behind them.