diff --git a/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.json b/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..96248931a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.json
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+{
+  "contract_hash": "f358dcc954a6a96c6e494acbabc8635b79184ca15b9d80f3f59ff7d3e7416ace",
+  "contract_id": "lot1-02-launch-gate-v1",
+  "gate_1_transfer_authorization": {
+    "actual_verdict": "needs_target_trace_contract",
+    "gate_name": "fidelity_contract_authorization",
+    "met": false,
+    "rationale": "Differentiation from every existing repo mechanism (masked recursive denoiser, SemanticPlanV1 predictors/consumers, causal FTPO adapters, explicit compiler traces, valid-state tree-edit/lattice search) is clean and survives line-by-line comparison -- see non_duplication_map, all rows no_duplication. The blocker is narrower: LOTUS's explicit-to-latent curriculum (mechanism row 5) and its causal_latent_use claim class both presuppose a step-decomposable 'explicit trace' analogous to GSM8K CoT steps that this repo does not yet define for OpenUI program synthesis. Defining that target-trace contract honestly -- without assuming math-payload equivalence to GSM8K, and without silently reusing causal_trace.py's visible-token decode capture or SemanticPlanV1's plan IR as if either already were that trace -- is out of scope for this docs/spec-only issue (no corpus generation beyond bounded target-contract probes). Authorizing bounded implementation now would force either an undefined curriculum or a quietly borrowed non-LOTUS trace source; neither is honest. This is not a 'differentiation is weak' close and not a semantic-floor block -- it is a scoped prerequisite.",
+    "required_verdict": "authorize_bounded_implementation",
+    "source_contract_hash": "801ce267b64f52b88e6e80fa091084c5f1a6628de60658d2d161db82f5117af2",
+    "source_contract_id": "lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1",
+    "source_linear_issue": "SLM-248"
+  },
+  "gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling": {
+    "actual_verdict": "inconclusive",
+    "gate_name": "trace_oracle_ceiling",
+    "met": false,
+    "rationale": "The trace contract, typed step schema, deterministic extractor, and lossless visible serialization are implemented and tested against the repository's existing SemanticPlanV1/production_codec owners (no new compiler/parser/evaluator). A bounded n=16 fixture probe (not a production corpus) confirms every probe record decomposes into all six declared stages with zero truncation, giving a provisional K=6/c=479-chars budget. The oracle ceiling experiment itself -- the only evidence that could support an oracle_ceiling_positive, no_downstream_ceiling, or explicit_trace_equivalent_to_existing_plan verdict -- is specified as a matched multi-arm, multi-seed plan but deliberately not run: the LOT0-01 authorization scopes this issue to a fixture-scale plan only, with GPU training and corpus generation explicitly blocked. Declaring any positive or negative ceiling verdict without running that plan would be exactly the 'no claim that explicit trace benefit implies latent benefit' failure this issue's acceptance criteria forbid. leakage_or_ambiguity_blocked and target_support_insufficient are also not honest: no leakage was found and the bounded probe supports the stage set within its declared scope. inconclusive -- pending the oracle-ceiling campaign -- is the only accurate verdict.",
+    "required_verdict": "oracle_ceiling_positive",
+    "source_contract_hash": "6cdd695bf5b32036519f1ee2e787a44e4afbb045fc059f75a92a2d069f0ee7c5",
+    "source_contract_id": "compiler-reasoning-trace-v1",
+    "source_linear_issue": "SLM-249"
+  },
+  "gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization": {
+    "actual_verdict": "none: the K x c latent-workspace model implementation (SLM-250 / LOT1-01) remains gated on a positive oracle-ceiling result, which requires running the plan defined here -- not authorized by this issue.",
+    "gate_name": "explicit_kc_stage_authorization",
+    "met": false,
+    "rationale": "SLM-249's own allowed_lot1_implementation field authorizes no LOT1 implementation; the oracle ceiling is inconclusive and K/c is a bounded probe recommendation only, not a data-derived production budget.",
+    "required_verdict": "explicit allowed_lot1_implementation entry with K/c/stage targets",
+    "source_contract_hash": "6cdd695bf5b32036519f1ee2e787a44e4afbb045fc059f75a92a2d069f0ee7c5",
+    "source_contract_id": "compiler-reasoning-trace-v1",
+    "source_linear_issue": "SLM-249"
+  },
+  "linear_issue": "SLM-251",
+  "lot1_01_disposition": "not_authorized",
+  "schema_version": "lot1_02_launch_gate/v1",
+  "verdict": "not_authorized",
+  "verdict_rationale": "LOT1-02 launch prerequisite(s) unmet: transfer_authorization (SLM-248), trace_oracle_ceiling (SLM-249), explicit_kc_stage_authorization (SLM-249 allowed_lot1_implementation). LOT1-01's disposition is 'not_authorized', so no faithful K x c model path or curriculum hooks exist to train; SLM-249's oracle ceiling is not positive and authorizes no LOT1 implementation. There is no treatment arm to run and no matched continued-explicit control to attribute against. Closing not_authorized in plan-only mode; no training, curriculum, or model code is added by this disposition.",
+  "version_stamp": {
+    "code_commit": "941730cbbe0ac6a956b87085b54ff874089e54e1",
+    "code_dirty": true,
+    "components": {
+      "harness.experiments": "v110"
+    },
+    "stamp_schema": "version_stamp/v1",
+    "stamped_at": "2026-07-25T15:59:29.204608+00:00"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.md b/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78dea06b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.md
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# SLM-251 LOT1-02 — Launch-gate disposition (lot1-02-launch-gate-v1)
+
+Verdict: **not_authorized**
+
+LOT1-02 launch prerequisite(s) unmet: transfer_authorization (SLM-248), trace_oracle_ceiling (SLM-249), explicit_kc_stage_authorization (SLM-249 allowed_lot1_implementation). LOT1-01's disposition is 'not_authorized', so no faithful K x c model path or curriculum hooks exist to train; SLM-249's oracle ceiling is not positive and authorizes no LOT1 implementation. There is no treatment arm to run and no matched continued-explicit control to attribute against. Closing not_authorized in plan-only mode; no training, curriculum, or model code is added by this disposition.
+
+LOT1-01 disposition: `not_authorized`
+
+## Gate 1 — transfer authorization (SLM-248)
+
+- Source contract: `lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1` (`801ce267b64f52b88e6e80fa091084c5f1a6628de60658d2d161db82f5117af2`)
+- Required: authorize_bounded_implementation
+- Actual verdict: `needs_target_trace_contract`
+- Met: **False**
+
+## Gate 2 — trace oracle ceiling (SLM-249)
+
+- Source contract: `compiler-reasoning-trace-v1` (`6cdd695bf5b32036519f1ee2e787a44e4afbb045fc059f75a92a2d069f0ee7c5`)
+- Required: oracle_ceiling_positive
+- Actual verdict: `inconclusive`
+- Met: **False**
+
+## Gate 3 — explicit LOT1 implementation allowance (SLM-249)
+
+- Source contract: `compiler-reasoning-trace-v1` (`6cdd695bf5b32036519f1ee2e787a44e4afbb045fc059f75a92a2d069f0ee7c5`)
+- Required: explicit allowed_lot1_implementation entry with K/c/stage targets
+- Actual verdict: `none: the K x c latent-workspace model implementation (SLM-250 / LOT1-01) remains gated on a positive oracle-ceiling result, which requires running the plan defined here -- not authorized by this issue.`
+- Met: **False**
+
+## Non-goals honored
+
+No training campaign, no curriculum code, no Stage 0 checkpoint, no GPU dispatch, and no production default change. This disposition is itself the LOT1-02 deliverable while the launch prerequisites are unmet.
diff --git a/scripts/evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py b/scripts/evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9267d301
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Evaluate SLM-251 (LOT1-02)'s launch prerequisites in plan-only mode.
+
+No training, curriculum, or model code is loaded or executed. This reads
+the real committed upstream contract artifacts and emits the
+``Lot102LaunchGateV1`` disposition.
+
+Example:
+  python -m scripts.evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate \
+      --fidelity-contract docs/design/lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1.json \
+      --trace-gate-contract docs/design/compiler-reasoning-trace-v1.json \
+      --out outputs/runs/slm251_launch_gate
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_01_activation_gate import (
+    load_upstream_contract,
+)
+from slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_02_activation_gate import (
+    evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate,
+    render_markdown,
+)
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description="SLM-251 LOT1-02 launch-gate evaluator (plan-only, no training code)"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--fidelity-contract",
+        type=Path,
+        default=Path("docs/design/lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1.json"),
+        help="SLM-248 LotusOpenUIFidelityContractV1 JSON artifact",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--trace-gate-contract",
+        type=Path,
+        default=Path("docs/design/compiler-reasoning-trace-v1.json"),
+        help="SLM-249 CompilerReasoningTraceGateV1 JSON artifact",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--out",
+        type=Path,
+        default=Path("outputs/runs/slm251_launch_gate"),
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+
+    fidelity_contract = load_upstream_contract(args.fidelity_contract)
+    trace_gate_contract = load_upstream_contract(args.trace_gate_contract)
+
+    contract = evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(fidelity_contract, trace_gate_contract)
+
+    args.out.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (args.out / "lot1_02_launch_gate.json").write_text(
+        json.dumps(contract.to_dict(), indent=2, sort_keys=True, default=str) + "\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    markdown = render_markdown(contract)
+    (args.out / "lot1_02_launch_gate.md").write_text(markdown, encoding="utf-8")
+    print(markdown)
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/src/slm_training/harnesses/experiments/lot1_02_activation_gate.py b/src/slm_training/harnesses/experiments/lot1_02_activation_gate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..547b45773
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/slm_training/harnesses/experiments/lot1_02_activation_gate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+"""SLM-251 LOT1-02 launch-gate evaluator (plan-only closeout).
+
+LOT1-02 ("Run the explicit-to-latent curriculum against an update-matched
+continued explicit-trace control") declares three upstream dependencies:
+
+1. SLM-248 (LOT0-01) transfer authorization -- preregistered margins and a
+   ``authorize_bounded_implementation`` verdict.
+2. SLM-249 (LOT0-02) ``CompilerReasoningTraceGateV1`` -- K/c/stage support
+   and a positive oracle ceiling.
+3. SLM-250 (LOT1-01) -- the faithful K x c looped-latent model path and
+   curriculum hooks.
+
+The campaign cannot launch honestly unless every dependency is authorized:
+there is no treatment arm without the LOT1-01 model path, and no causal
+attribution without the SLM-249 oracle ceiling. This module derives the
+LOT1-02 launch disposition from the same real, committed upstream contract
+artifacts as the LOT1-01 gate (reusing
+:mod:`slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_01_activation_gate`) plus the
+trace contract's own ``allowed_lot1_implementation`` field. It contains no
+training, curriculum, or model code -- evaluating this gate honestly *is*
+the LOT1-02 deliverable while the prerequisites are unmet.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+import json
+from dataclasses import asdict, dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+from slm_training.harness_core.versioning import build_version_stamp
+from slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_01_activation_gate import (
+    AUTHORIZED_WIRING_ONLY,
+    NOT_AUTHORIZED,
+    GateEvaluation,
+    evaluate_activation_gates,
+)
+
+__all__ = [
+    "GATE_SCHEMA_VERSION",
+    "LAUNCH_GATE_CONTRACT_ID",
+    "Lot102LaunchGateV1",
+    "evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate",
+    "render_markdown",
+]
+
+GATE_SCHEMA_VERSION = "lot1_02_launch_gate/v1"
+LAUNCH_GATE_CONTRACT_ID = "lot1-02-launch-gate-v1"
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Lot102LaunchGateV1:
+    """LOT1-02 launch disposition derived from real upstream contracts."""
+
+    schema_version: str = GATE_SCHEMA_VERSION
+    contract_id: str = LAUNCH_GATE_CONTRACT_ID
+    linear_issue: str = "SLM-251"
+    lot1_01_disposition: str = NOT_AUTHORIZED
+    gate_1_transfer_authorization: GateEvaluation | None = None
+    gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling: GateEvaluation | None = None
+    gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization: GateEvaluation | None = None
+    verdict: str = NOT_AUTHORIZED
+    verdict_rationale: str = ""
+    version_stamp: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+    def to_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        data = dict(asdict(self))
+        for key in (
+            "gate_1_transfer_authorization",
+            "gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling",
+            "gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization",
+        ):
+            gate = getattr(self, key)
+            data[key] = gate.to_dict() if gate is not None else None
+        data["contract_hash"] = self.contract_hash()
+        return data
+
+    def contract_hash(self) -> str:
+        payload = {
+            "schema_version": self.schema_version,
+            "contract_id": self.contract_id,
+            "linear_issue": self.linear_issue,
+            "lot1_01_disposition": self.lot1_01_disposition,
+            "verdict": self.verdict,
+        }
+        return hashlib.sha256(
+            json.dumps(payload, sort_keys=True, default=str).encode("utf-8")
+        ).hexdigest()
+
+
+def _evaluate_kc_stage_authorization(trace_gate_contract: dict[str, Any]) -> GateEvaluation:
+    """Check SLM-249's own explicit LOT1 implementation allowance.
+
+    ``allowed_lot1_implementation`` is a list whose only honest negative
+    entry starts with ``none``. Any other entry is an explicit authorization
+    carrying K/c/stage targets.
+    """
+    gate = trace_gate_contract.get("gate") or {}
+    allowed = gate.get("allowed_lot1_implementation") or []
+    explicit = [entry for entry in allowed if not str(entry).strip().lower().startswith("none")]
+    met = bool(explicit)
+    return GateEvaluation(
+        gate_name="explicit_kc_stage_authorization",
+        source_contract_id=trace_gate_contract.get("contract_id", ""),
+        source_contract_hash=trace_gate_contract.get("contract_hash", ""),
+        source_linear_issue=gate.get("linear_issue", "SLM-249"),
+        required_verdict="explicit allowed_lot1_implementation entry with K/c/stage targets",
+        actual_verdict="; ".join(str(e) for e in allowed) or "<missing>",
+        met=met,
+        rationale=(
+            "SLM-249 explicitly authorizes LOT1 implementation: " + "; ".join(explicit)
+            if met
+            else "SLM-249's own allowed_lot1_implementation field authorizes no LOT1 "
+            "implementation; the oracle ceiling is inconclusive and K/c is a bounded "
+            "probe recommendation only, not a data-derived production budget."
+        ),
+    )
+
+
+def evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(
+    fidelity_contract: dict[str, Any],
+    trace_gate_contract: dict[str, Any],
+) -> Lot102LaunchGateV1:
+    """Evaluate LOT1-02's launch prerequisites against real upstream contracts.
+
+    Reuses the LOT1-01 evaluator for the shared transfer-authorization and
+    oracle-ceiling gates, then adds LOT1-02's own requirement that SLM-249
+    explicitly authorize LOT1 implementation. The verdict is
+    ``not_authorized`` unless every prerequisite is met; even a met gate
+    authorizes only wiring/fixture evidence, never a trained-quality claim.
+    """
+    lot1_01 = evaluate_activation_gates(fidelity_contract, trace_gate_contract)
+    gate_3 = _evaluate_kc_stage_authorization(trace_gate_contract)
+
+    all_met = (
+        lot1_01.gate_1_fidelity_authorization.met
+        and lot1_01.gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling.met
+        and gate_3.met
+    )
+    if all_met:
+        verdict = AUTHORIZED_WIRING_ONLY
+        rationale = (
+            "All LOT1-02 launch prerequisites are met. The curriculum "
+            "campaign may be wired in fixture/plan-only mode; this gate "
+            "authorizes no GPU run or semantic-quality claim by itself."
+        )
+    else:
+        verdict = NOT_AUTHORIZED
+        unmet = []
+        if not lot1_01.gate_1_fidelity_authorization.met:
+            unmet.append("transfer_authorization (SLM-248)")
+        if not lot1_01.gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling.met:
+            unmet.append("trace_oracle_ceiling (SLM-249)")
+        if not gate_3.met:
+            unmet.append("explicit_kc_stage_authorization (SLM-249 allowed_lot1_implementation)")
+        rationale = (
+            "LOT1-02 launch prerequisite(s) unmet: " + ", ".join(unmet) + ". "
+            f"LOT1-01's disposition is '{lot1_01.verdict}', so no faithful "
+            "K x c model path or curriculum hooks exist to train; SLM-249's "
+            "oracle ceiling is not positive and authorizes no LOT1 "
+            "implementation. There is no treatment arm to run and no matched "
+            "continued-explicit control to attribute against. Closing "
+            "not_authorized in plan-only mode; no training, curriculum, or "
+            "model code is added by this disposition."
+        )
+
+    return Lot102LaunchGateV1(
+        lot1_01_disposition=lot1_01.verdict,
+        gate_1_transfer_authorization=lot1_01.gate_1_fidelity_authorization,
+        gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling=lot1_01.gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling,
+        gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization=gate_3,
+        verdict=verdict,
+        verdict_rationale=rationale,
+        version_stamp=build_version_stamp("harness.experiments"),
+    )
+
+
+def render_markdown(contract: Lot102LaunchGateV1) -> str:
+    lines = [
+        f"# SLM-251 LOT1-02 — Launch-gate disposition ({contract.contract_id})",
+        "",
+        f"Verdict: **{contract.verdict}**",
+        "",
+        contract.verdict_rationale,
+        "",
+        f"LOT1-01 disposition: `{contract.lot1_01_disposition}`",
+        "",
+    ]
+    for title, gate in (
+        ("Gate 1 — transfer authorization (SLM-248)", contract.gate_1_transfer_authorization),
+        ("Gate 2 — trace oracle ceiling (SLM-249)", contract.gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling),
+        (
+            "Gate 3 — explicit LOT1 implementation allowance (SLM-249)",
+            contract.gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization,
+        ),
+    ):
+        if gate is None:
+            continue
+        lines += [
+            f"## {title}",
+            "",
+            f"- Source contract: `{gate.source_contract_id}` (`{gate.source_contract_hash}`)",
+            f"- Required: {gate.required_verdict}",
+            f"- Actual verdict: `{gate.actual_verdict}`",
+            f"- Met: **{gate.met}**",
+            "",
+        ]
+    lines += [
+        "## Non-goals honored",
+        "",
+        "No training campaign, no curriculum code, no Stage 0 checkpoint, no "
+        "GPU dispatch, and no production default change. This disposition is "
+        "itself the LOT1-02 deliverable while the launch prerequisites are unmet.",
+        "",
+    ]
+    return "\n".join(lines)
diff --git a/src/slm_training/resources/versions.json b/src/slm_training/resources/versions.json
index e4af0307c..7e05f6716 100644
--- a/src/slm_training/resources/versions.json
+++ b/src/slm_training/resources/versions.json
@@ -1912,7 +1912,7 @@
       ]
     },
     "harness.experiments": {
-      "version": "v116",
+      "version": "v117",
       "kind": "harness",
       "paths": [
         "scripts/run_slm298_capacity_context_curriculum.py",
@@ -1921,6 +1921,11 @@
         "tests/test_scripts/test_run_slm298_capacity_context_curriculum.py"
       ],
       "history": [
+        {
+          "version": "v117",
+          "date": "2026-07-25",
+          "note": "add SLM-251 LOT1-02 launch-gate evaluator (lot1_02_activation_gate.py): reuses the LOT1-01 gate plus SLM-249 allowed_lot1_implementation and closes not_authorized in plan-only mode, no training/curriculum code"
+        },
         {
           "version": "v116",
           "date": "2026-07-25",
@@ -1971,6 +1976,11 @@
           "date": "2026-07-25",
           "note": "add SLM-300 AP-015 self-context exposure-bias curriculum manifest, policy-origin-mixture wiring/fixture harness, and mixture-zero legacy-equivalence invariant"
         },
+        {
+          "version": "v110",
+          "date": "2026-07-25",
+          "note": "add SLM-251 LOT1-02 launch-gate evaluator (lot1_02_activation_gate.py): reuses the LOT1-01 gate plus SLM-249 allowed_lot1_implementation and closes not_authorized in plan-only mode, no training/curriculum code"
+        },
         {
           "version": "v109",
           "date": "2026-07-25",
@@ -9755,6 +9765,25 @@
           "note": "initial registration; SLM-250 LOT1-01 hard-activation-gate evaluator closes not_authorized against the real SLM-248/SLM-249 upstream contracts"
         }
       ]
+    },
+    "harness.experiments.lot1_02_activation_gate": {
+      "version": "v1",
+      "kind": "gate",
+      "paths": [
+        "src/slm_training/harnesses/experiments/lot1_02_activation_gate.py",
+        "scripts/evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py",
+        "tests/test_harnesses/experiments/test_lot1_02_activation_gate.py",
+        "tests/test_scripts/test_evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py",
+        "docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.json",
+        "docs/design/iter-slm251-lot1-02-not-authorized-20260725.md"
+      ],
+      "history": [
+        {
+          "version": "v1",
+          "date": "2026-07-25",
+          "note": "initial registration; SLM-251 LOT1-02 launch-gate evaluator closes not_authorized against the real SLM-248/SLM-249 upstream contracts and the LOT1-01 not_authorized disposition"
+        }
+      ]
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_harnesses/experiments/test_lot1_02_activation_gate.py b/tests/test_harnesses/experiments/test_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f3390b56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_harnesses/experiments/test_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+"""Tests for slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_02_activation_gate (SLM-251)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_01_activation_gate import (
+    AUTHORIZED_WIRING_ONLY,
+    NOT_AUTHORIZED,
+    REQUIRED_FIDELITY_VERDICT,
+    REQUIRED_TRACE_VERDICT,
+    load_upstream_contract,
+)
+from slm_training.harnesses.experiments.lot1_02_activation_gate import (
+    evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate,
+    render_markdown,
+)
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3]
+FIDELITY_CONTRACT_PATH = REPO_ROOT / "docs/design/lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1.json"
+TRACE_GATE_CONTRACT_PATH = REPO_ROOT / "docs/design/compiler-reasoning-trace-v1.json"
+
+
+def test_real_upstream_contracts_are_not_authorized() -> None:
+    """The currently-committed SLM-248/SLM-249 artifacts must yield
+    not_authorized: SLM-248 reports needs_target_trace_contract, SLM-249
+    reports inconclusive, and its allowed_lot1_implementation authorizes no
+    LOT1 implementation. This is the load-bearing proof that LOT1-02
+    correctly closes without any training or curriculum code.
+    """
+    contract = evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(
+        load_upstream_contract(FIDELITY_CONTRACT_PATH),
+        load_upstream_contract(TRACE_GATE_CONTRACT_PATH),
+    )
+
+    assert contract.verdict == NOT_AUTHORIZED
+    assert contract.lot1_01_disposition == NOT_AUTHORIZED
+    assert contract.gate_1_transfer_authorization.met is False
+    assert contract.gate_2_trace_oracle_ceiling.met is False
+    assert contract.gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization.met is False
+    assert "none" in contract.gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization.actual_verdict
+
+
+def test_all_prerequisites_met_authorizes_wiring_only() -> None:
+    """The evaluator is not hardcoded to always fail: synthetic contracts
+    with both required verdicts and an explicit LOT1 implementation
+    allowance flip the disposition, but only to wiring-only authorization.
+    """
+    fidelity_contract = {
+        "contract_id": "synthetic-fidelity",
+        "contract_hash": "deadbeef",
+        "authorization": {
+            "linear_issue": "SLM-248",
+            "verdict": REQUIRED_FIDELITY_VERDICT,
+            "verdict_rationale": "synthetic positive",
+        },
+    }
+    trace_gate_contract = {
+        "contract_id": "synthetic-trace",
+        "contract_hash": "cafef00d",
+        "gate": {
+            "linear_issue": "SLM-249",
+            "verdict": REQUIRED_TRACE_VERDICT,
+            "verdict_rationale": "synthetic positive",
+            "allowed_lot1_implementation": [
+                "kxc_bounded_implementation: K=6, c=479, stages per contract"
+            ],
+        },
+    }
+
+    contract = evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(fidelity_contract, trace_gate_contract)
+
+    assert contract.verdict == AUTHORIZED_WIRING_ONLY
+    assert contract.lot1_01_disposition == AUTHORIZED_WIRING_ONLY
+    assert contract.gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization.met is True
+
+
+def test_explicit_allowance_alone_does_not_authorize() -> None:
+    """An explicit K/c allowance cannot substitute for the oracle-ceiling
+    verdict: gate 2 unmet keeps the campaign not_authorized even when
+    SLM-249 names an allowed implementation.
+    """
+    fidelity_contract = {
+        "contract_id": "synthetic-fidelity",
+        "contract_hash": "deadbeef",
+        "authorization": {
+            "linear_issue": "SLM-248",
+            "verdict": REQUIRED_FIDELITY_VERDICT,
+            "verdict_rationale": "synthetic positive",
+        },
+    }
+    trace_gate_contract = {
+        "contract_id": "synthetic-trace",
+        "contract_hash": "cafef00d",
+        "gate": {
+            "linear_issue": "SLM-249",
+            "verdict": "inconclusive",
+            "verdict_rationale": "ceiling not measured",
+            "allowed_lot1_implementation": [
+                "kxc_bounded_implementation: K=6, c=479, stages per contract"
+            ],
+        },
+    }
+
+    contract = evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(fidelity_contract, trace_gate_contract)
+
+    assert contract.verdict == NOT_AUTHORIZED
+    assert contract.gate_3_explicit_kc_stage_authorization.met is True
+
+
+def test_render_markdown_covers_all_gates() -> None:
+    contract = evaluate_lot1_02_launch_gate(
+        load_upstream_contract(FIDELITY_CONTRACT_PATH),
+        load_upstream_contract(TRACE_GATE_CONTRACT_PATH),
+    )
+    markdown = render_markdown(contract)
+    assert "SLM-251" in markdown
+    assert "not_authorized" in markdown
+    assert "Gate 3" in markdown
diff --git a/tests/test_scripts/test_evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py b/tests/test_scripts/test_evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1c019256
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_scripts/test_evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+"""Tests for scripts/evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.py (SLM-251)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from scripts import evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate
+
+
+def test_default_run_reports_not_authorized(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    out = tmp_path / "gate"
+    rc = evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.main(["--out", str(out)])
+    assert rc == 0
+
+    data = json.loads((out / "lot1_02_launch_gate.json").read_text())
+    assert data["verdict"] == "not_authorized"
+    assert data["lot1_01_disposition"] == "not_authorized"
+    assert (out / "lot1_02_launch_gate.md").exists()
+
+
+def test_run_against_explicit_contract_paths(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    out = tmp_path / "gate_explicit"
+    rc = evaluate_lot1_02_activation_gate.main(
+        [
+            "--fidelity-contract",
+            "docs/design/lotus-openui-fidelity-contract-v1.json",
+            "--trace-gate-contract",
+            "docs/design/compiler-reasoning-trace-v1.json",
+            "--out",
+            str(out),
+        ]
+    )
+    assert rc == 0
+    markdown = (out / "lot1_02_launch_gate.md").read_text()
+    assert "SLM-251" in markdown
+    assert "not_authorized" in markdown