NASA Picks Delta II to Launch Medium-Class Payloads

NASA has chosen the Delta II expendable launch vehicle,
provided by Boeing Launch Services, Inc. to launch 19 NASA
and NASA-sponsored medium-class scientific payloads between
2006 and early 2009. Boeing Launch Services, Inc. is
headquartered in Huntington Beach Calif. and is a wholly
owned subsidiary to The Boeing Company.

This is a firm fixed-price launch service task order awarded
under the terms of the current NASA Launch Services contract
and has a value of $1.2 billion, if all options are
exercised. The contract calls for 12 firm launches with
options for seven more.

This “19-Pack” acquisition will maintain an important niche
capability in the domestic launch vehicle medium-performance
class while assuring access to space for NASA’s highest
priority planetary and earth science spacecraft.

Twelve launches are planned from the Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station, Fla., and seven are planned from Vandenberg
Air Force Base, Calif. Seven launches are scheduled in
calendar year 2006, six in calendar year 2007, two in
calendar year 2008, and four in calendar year 2009.

Boeing Launch Services is one of two NASA Launch services
providers.