[Satellite Today 03-18-09] United Launch Alliance (ULA) won a contract valued at about  $600 million from NASA to launch four science and satellite communications missions beginning in 2011, the ULA announced March 16.
    According to the terms of the contract, the ULA will launch orbiters for NASA’s tracking and data relay satellite service in early 2012 and 2013. The contract  also includes the launch of four NASA satellites designed to study the physics of plasma particles where solar winds hit the earth’s magnetic field in 2014.
    The missions will use Atlas 5 rockets from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.