NASA Launch Services II (NLS-II) 2026 On-Ramp
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The NASA Launch Services II (NLS II) program is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract managed by the NASA Kennedy Space Center, with an ordering period and RFP open until June 30, 2030. Current awardees include United Launch Services, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Space Exploration Technologies, and Blue Origin. The program utilizes an on-ramp provision that allows the government to accept proposals from new and existing launch service providers, typically every August, to expand available launch services. To qualify, providers must be domestic sources with AS9100 certification by the date of award. Proposed launch vehicles must be capable of being certified to risk mitigation Category 2 and 3 per NASA Policy Directive 8610.7D and must be able to deliver a minimum 250kg payload to an orbit altitude of 200km at a launch inclination of 28.5 degrees. Interested parties for the 2026 on-ramp must notify NASA in writing by October 5, 2026, including their intended vehicle configurations and current flight manifests.
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Full Description
The NASA Launch Services (NLS) II Request for Proposal (RFP) remains open until June 30, 2030 through the use of an innovative on-ramp provision found in Section C, Clause 2.0. The NLS II contract’s ordering period remains valid through June 30, 2030. The RFP has resulted in the award of Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) task order contracts to United Launch Services, LLC; Orbital Sciences Corporation (currently known as Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation); Space Exploration Technologies; and Blue Origin, LLC. Each August during the life of the solicitation, or at any other time established via synopsis, the Government will accept proposals from new launch service providers for IDIQ contracts and proposals from existing IDIQ contractors for additional launch services. The Government is currently contemplating opening an on-ramp opportunity.
Launch services proposed under the NLS II solicitation shall only include launch vehicles capable of being certified to risk mitigation Category 2 and 3 in accordance with NASA Policy Directive 8610.7D, Launch Services Risk Mitigation Policy for NASA-Owned and/or NASA-Sponsored Payloads/Missions. These launch services, at a minimum, shall be capable of delivering a 250kg payload to orbit at an altitude of 200km and a launch inclination of 28.5 degrees. This acquisition is restricted to domestic sources. Minimum contract requirements will be set forth in Attachment E3, Paragraph 1.0 of the NLS II RFP when released. Specifically, in addition to the launch vehicle requirements described above, offerors must be domestic launch service providers and must be AS9100 certified by the date of contract award.
It is requested that any interested party notify NASA in writing no later than October 5, 2026, of your intent to submit a proposal during this on-ramp period as well as a description of the launch vehicle configuration(s) you intend to propose and current flight manifest. If the Government chooses to conduct an On Ramp by issuing a solicitation notice, new launch service providers and current IDIQ contractors will be allowed to submit proposals, within the notice's stated response time. An ombudsman has been appointed in accordance with NFS 1852.215-84.
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