NASA has formally expanded its Launch Services (NLS) II contract with SpaceX, headquartered in Starbase, Texas, to include the company's Starship launch system alongside the previously contracted Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
The NLS II contract framework enables NASA to procure commercial launch capabilities for a wide array of missions, including planetary exploration, Earth science by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Mar 30, 2025
NASA has formally expanded its Launch Services (NLS) II contract with SpaceX, headquartered in Starbase, Texas, to include the company's Starship launch system alongside the previously contracted Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
The NLS II contract framework enables NASA to procure commercial launch capabilities for a wide array of missions, including planetary exploration, Earth science initiatives, and other scientific or exploratory objectives. These missions are typically high-priority and require a low to medium tolerance for risk, with NASA maintaining rigorous technical oversight and mission assurance protocols to ensure optimal chances of success.
Structured as a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, the NLS II agreement allows task orders to be issued through June 2030, with the contract's performance period extending through December 2032. A key feature of the contract is its annual on-ramp provision, which permits both the inclusion of new commercial launch providers and the expansion of existing providers' offerings with new launch vehicles.
This mechanism supports NASA's broader strategy across its Science, Space Operations, Exploration Systems Development, and Space Technology Mission Directorates. Through the NLS II contract, NASA may also furnish launch services to other federal agencies, enhancing cross-government access to commercial spaceflight capabilities.
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