NASA Awards Launch Services Contracts

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- 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; Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Va.; Space
Exploration Technologies of Hawthorne, Calif.; and United Launch
Services, LLC of Littleton, Colo.

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.

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Source: NASA