Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) has received a potential 10-year, $3.19 billion contract from NASA to produce and operate solid rocket boosters for the Space Launch System in support of the Artemis program.
The contract covers the production of the Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension boosters for Artemis IX and flight sets for Artemis IV through Artemis VIII missions, Northrop said Thursday.
The company will design, build and test five-segment solid rocket boosters to replace the eight remaining assets used in the Space Shuttle Program. The BOLE boosters will feature electronic thrust vector control systems, propellant materials, upgraded structures and new composite case elements.
Wendy Williams, vice president of propulsion systems at Northrop, said BOLE leverages the company’s existing infrastructures and investments in SLS in support of the space agency’s exploration programs.
“This new booster design will provide additional heavy lift performance and support greater payload volume for deep space human and science missions,” added Williams.
Contract work will run through 2031.
Northrop noted that the production of boosters for the Artemis II lunar mission is now finished and that segments are now ready for transportation to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The company began casting the segments for the fourth Artemis mission and the 10 segments for the Artemis III mission have been cast with propellant. In October, the company finished winding the first BOLE booster segment case intended for developmental tests.
