Flash! Archive
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
August 2000
July 2000
June 2000
May 2000

NASA Awards Boeing And Lockheed Martin IDIQ Launch Contracts

More Information:

NASA has awarded two 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts potentially worth up to a total of US$5 billion to Boeing Expendable Launch Systems and Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services to provide launch services for up to 70 missions on behalf of its NASA Launch Services (NLS) procurement. Boeing will provide launch services onboard its Delta II, Delta III and Delta IV vehicles. Lockheed Martin will presumably provide launch services on Atlas II, Atlas III and Atlas V series launchers. The contract awards come as little surprise to the space industry.

NASA selected Boeing Delta II launch vehicles for three firm missions and five options. The three launches are valued at over US$168 million, with the five options worth more than US$248 million, with an overall value of about $417 million. The first launch under the new contract will be Aura (formerly EOS Chem) aboard a Delta II in 2002. Other missions will include Deep Impact and MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) in 2004.

An "on-ramp" clause allows NASA to purchase any launch vehicle offered or developed in the future by Boeing, Lockheed Martin or other companies during the life of the agreement. Companies not offering launch vehicles that currently qualify can compete later for up to 60 of the potential 70 launches, thus providing opportunities for future expendable or reusable launch systems.

SPACEandTECH Digest is a weekly roundup of the latest industry news of interest to the space professional. SPACEandTECH Flash! is an internet push service offered by Andrews Space & Technology to bring the latest on orders, launches, and important breaking news to your desktop. SPACEandTECH Digest and SPACEandTECH Flash! are part of the Andrews Space & Technology www.spaceandtech.com website, a website designed to serve the information needs of the space industry.

If you would like to subscribe to the SPACEandTECH Flash! (currently a free service), contact the www.spaceandtech.com Editor-in-Chief, Joe Hopkins, at editor@spaceandtech.com

June 19, 2000