Space Force Issues On-Ramp Solicitation for Sounding Rocket Program-4 Contract

Space Systems Command has released a new request for proposals for the Sounding Rocket Program-4 contract to expand the pool of vendors that could provide suborbital launch support for payloads and flight hardware and perform technical and concept analyses to facilitate the launch of space assets in support of research and development programs.

Interested offerors should state their capabilities to provide a launch platform for two sample missions outlined in the RFP for the SRP-4 on-ramp process, according to a solicitation notice published Thursday.

Each sample mission is defined by a mission requirements document. SM 1 seeks to launch a suborbital demonstration mission to deliver a reentry vehicle to a specific target location at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, while SM 2 intends to support a suborbital mission that would bring an RV to a particular location from a contractor proposed launch site.

Interested offerors should include in the proposals’ technical volume their mission capability describing their launch vehicle design, hardware manufacturing, software development, hardware and software test, mission assurance, program management and initial minimum award special study.

According to the solicitation, SRP-4 and other small orbital missions are part of the Small Rocket Program, which has a combined ceiling of $877 million.

The SRP-4 contract has an ordering period of nine years that will run through Nov. 15, 2027.

Responses to the RFP are due Jan. 16.

In 2018, Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and Space Vector secured spots on a $424 million contract for suborbital launch services under SRP-4.

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