NASA has awarded a contract modification to United Launch Services LLC of Centennial, Colorado, to add Vulcan Centaur launch services to the company's NASA Launch Services II (NLS II) contract, in accordance with the contracts on-ramp provision. The Vulcan Centaur launch service will be available to NASAs Launch Services Program to use for future missions in accordance with the on-ramp provision of NLS II.
The NLS II contracts are multiple award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts with an ordering period through June 2025 and an overall period of performance through December 2027. The NLS II on-ramp provision provides an opportunity annually for new launch service providers to compete for future missions and allows existing launch service providers to introduce launch vehicles not currently on their NLS II contracts.
NLS II contractors must have the ability to successfully launch and deliver a payload to orbit using a domestic launch service capable of placing, at minimum, a 250-kilogram payload into a 200-kilometer circular orbit at an inclination of 28.5 degrees.
The NLS II contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency's Science Mission Directorate, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, and the Space Technology Mission Directorate. Under the contract, NASA can also provide launch services to other government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
