NASA awards $100M spacecraft processing contracts to four aerospace firms

NASA has awarded spacecraft processing contracts to four aerospace companies: Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies, and All Points Logistics. The contracts fall under the Spacecraft Processing Operations initiative, which provides payload processing facilities and pre-flight operations for spacecraft and launch vehicle components prior to pad integration.

The work scope includes mission scheduling, launch site coordination, and the implementation of safety protocols. The agreement is structured as an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a collective spending cap of $100 million across all vendors. NASA will issue specific task orders on an as-needed basis, and the contract period allows for work orders to be issued through February 1, 2033.

For Firefly Aerospace, the contract specifically enables the company to participate in preparing payloads for missions launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This move allows the firm to expand its role beyond launch services into the integration and technical service stages of the mission chain.