Four companies have won contracts to help NASA integrate and take research payloads onboard commercial reusable suborbital vehicles to the edge of space.
NASA said Monday it awarded contracts worth at least $100, 000 each to Masten Space Systems, Paragon Space Development, Up Aerospace and Virgin Galactic for suborbital flight and payload integration services.
Each contract has a three-year base period of performance and and two option years.
“These proven flight service providers will allow for payloads from organizations including NASA, industry, academia, and other government agencies to be tested on flights to the edge of space before being committed to demonstration in the harsh environment of space itself, ” said Michael Gazarik, NASA associate administrator for space technology.
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate plans to invest during the coming year in projects that aim to address safety and cost issues in deep-space missions.
