A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches with NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft onboard from Launch Complex 39A, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

NASA selected 12 companies as eligible for contracts for its Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) missions. NASA announced the selections on Jan. 26, including emerging and operational launchers, and rideshare providers.  

NASA selected ABL Space Systems, Astra Space, Blue Origin, L2 Solutions, Northrop Grumman Systems, Phantom Space, Relativity Space, Rocket Lab USA, Spaceflight, SpaceX, United Launch Services, and Virgin Orbit. 

These companies will be eligible for firm-fixed-price task orders to provide launch services for NASA and NASA-sponsored missions. There is a five-year ordering period and a maximum total value of $300 million across all contracts. The VADR contract can involve payloads ranging from cubesats to class D missions, to a variety of orbits that contribute to NASA research and technology development. NASA said that VADR launches will use commercial practices, with less NASA oversight to achieve lower costs. 

Bradley Smith, director of Launch Services at NASA headquarters, said NASA designed VADR to enable the growing U.S. launch industry. The VADR contracts expand on NASA’s previous initiatives, Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) and VCLS Demo 2 contracts, to foster new small launch vehicles.  

Rocket Lab launched the first VCLS mission in December 2018, deploying 13 educational satellites with its Electron vehicle. “NASA’s Launch Services Program plays a crucial role in growing the U.S launch industry by ensuring resilient space access and we could not be prouder to play a role in that,” commented Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck. 

“This new contract streamlines the contract process and allows Astra to deliver the most cost-efficient dedicated access among proven launch systems more rapidly than before,” said Martin Attiq, chief business officer of Astra.