NASA is inviting commercial launch providers to submit proposals for an on-ramp opportunity under its up to $15 billion Launch Services II contract, which supports the space agency’s and the federal government’s scientific, exploration and Earth observation missions.
In a request for proposals posted on SAM.gov Tuesday, NASA said it is seeking domestic launch services capable of delivering a minimum 250-kilogram payload to orbit at an altitude of 200 kilometers and an inclination of 28.5 degrees.
Proposals are due May 11.
What Is NASA’s Launch Services II Contract?
NASA’s Launch Services II, or NLS II, is a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that provides NASA and other federal agencies with access to commercial launch services. The original NLS II request for proposals was issued in 2009, open for new entrants through an on-ramp provision, an acquisition mechanism that periodically allows additional providers to be added to an existing contract.
According to NASA, the opportunity is open to domestic launch providers with vehicles that meet Category 2 or Category 3 risk mitigation requirements, as defined under NASA Policy Directive 8610.7D.
The contract’s ordering period runs through June 2030, with an overall period of performance extending through December 2032
The program is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program Office at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Which Companies Have Won NLS II Contracts?
Several major aerospace companies have already secured contracts under the NLS II vehicle, such as United Launch Services, Northrop Grumman Space Systems, Blue Origin and SpaceX.
In March 2025, NASA modified SpaceX’s NLS II contract to add the Starship launch vehicle to its portfolio of available services, expanding the company’s program offerings beyond the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
