NASA plans to extend three existing contracts to transport cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS), as reported by Space News.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 06: Members of the US Navy and NASA Landing and Recovery Team use a crane to remove a test version of the Orion capsule from the water after practicing retrieving astronauts from it on February 06, 2023 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The extension is through the anticipated end of the station in 2030. Earlier this month, NASA expressed its intention to issue sole-source extensions of its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) two contracts with Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space and SpaceX.
The extensions would cover missions from January 2027 through December 2030.
The agency declared that they have plans to terminate the ISS program and switch to commercial space stations by the end of 2030.
The Opening For Alternative Cargo vehicles
The notice doesn't state the reason NASA was extending the contracts. However, it gives companies proposing to offer alternative cargo vehicles until March 17th to provide the agency with information about their capabilities so NASA can make a decision on whether to hold an open competition or issue the extensions.
In 2016, three organizations were given CRS-2 agreements from NASA to transport freight, supplanting the first CRS agreements to Orbital Sciences and SpaceX. Each organization was ensured at least six missions under the contract, with the opportunity for NASA to arrange extra.
In March 2022, the agency stated that they had obtained an additional six missions from Northrop and SpaceX, respectively, taking the total number of missions to 14 from Northrop and 15 from SpaceX.
Sierra Space has been commissioned to undertake three Dream Chaser missions by the agency, but the corporation has stated that it will launch a minimum of seven flights under the CRS-2 agreement. The initial mission is expected to take place later this year, as part of the second Vulcan Centaur rocket launch.
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New CRS Competition?
Given the short duration of the contract, it is still unclear if any company would bid on a new CRS competition. NASA did not consider Boeing's CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle in the original CRS-2 competition. In addition, Lockheed Martin submitted a CRS-2 proposal, but the agency stated that it wasn't in the competitive range of the program and dropped it in the evaluation phase.
Northrop and SpaceX are now gearing up for their next cargo missions to the ISS. NASA is planning a launch in mid-March of the next cargo Dragon mission, SpX-27. However, the date still depends on the departure of the Crew-5 Dragon spacecraft from the station to free up the docking port.
The departure of the NG-18 Cygnus and the launch of the NG-19 Cygnus in April will follow it.
Northrop Grumman is ending its current version of the Antares rocket with the launch of the NG-19 mission, and is transitioning to a new version of the rocket in collaboration with Firefly Aerospace.
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