Sun, Sep 19, 2010
Four Companies Selected For 70 Missions Over 10 Years
NASA has announced the awards for the NASA Launch Services
(NLS) II Contract. The award will provide a broad range of launch
services for NASA’s planetary, Earth-observing, exploration
and scientific satellites. NASA has the ability to order a maximum
of 70 launch services missions with a maximum cumulative potential
contract value of $15 billion. The NLS II contracts are multiple
award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, spanning a 10-year
period.
NASA selected four companies for awards: Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Company of Denver, CO; Orbital Sciences Corporation of
Dulles, VA; Space Exploration Technologies of Hawthorne, CA; and
United Launch Services, LLC of Littleton, CO.
The NLS contracts provide for a minimum capability of delivering
agency payloads weighing approximately 550 pounds or more to a
minimum 124-mile-high circular orbit with a launch inclination of
28.5 degrees. The launch service provider also may offer a range of
vehicles to NASA to meet higher payload weight and orbit
requirements. In addition, there is an annual opportunity for
additional providers and incumbents to submit proposals introducing
launch services not available at the time of award, if they meet
the minimum contract requirements.
The NLS II contracts support the goals and objectives of the
agency's Science Mission Directorate, Space Operations Mission
Directorate and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. Under the
contract, NASA also will provide launch services to other
government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
NASA's Launch Services Program Office at the Kennedy Space
Center in Florida is responsible for program management.
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