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Elon Musk, founder and chief executive of Hawthorne rocket maker Space X, called a press conference Friday where he announced plans to file a suit against the Air Force for its bulk contract award to competitor United Launch Alliance (ULA). 

Musk, who dreams of colonizing Mars, said his company is protesting the government's sole source purchase of 36 rockets for space launches from ULA. By 2030, the Pentagon is expected to spend almost $70 billion on the program. 

"This is not SpaceX protesting and saying these launches should be awarded to us. We're just saying these launches should be competed," Musk said during the news conference at the National Press Club, according to OBJ. "If we compete and lose, that's fine."

Currently, SpaceX is in the process of going through a new Air Force certification process for its own Falcon 9 booster, however that wont be completed in next few months.

"Cancel the contract, wait a few months for certification to be complete, then reopen," Musk said, when asked what exactly he hopes to achieve from the protest. He said the same courtesy should be extended to other competitors. 

At a Senate hearing last month, Michael Gass, ULA's chief executive, said that his company's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets "are the most powerful and most reliable in the world. They are the only rockets that fully meet the unique and specialized needs of the national security community," according to Washington Post.

"On the surface it appears there's a good probability of some sanctions violation," Musk said. "This deserves to have a spotlight on it. Sunlight is the best disinfectant."

Musk's company plans to file the protest by Monday at the Court of Federal Claims.

Air Force officials have not responded to requests for comments.