RELEASE: 96-40
February 27, 1996

NASA has awarded McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, Huntington Beach, CA, a contract to provide fixed-price medium-light (Med-Lite) class expendable launch vehicle services. The Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, VA, is a major subcontractor.

The contract has the potential value of approximately $500 million depending on the number of options exercised, vehicle configurations, and mission-unique requirements.

The program, which will be managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, is scoped to provide launch capability in the range of 4,400 pounds (1,995 kg) to low Earth orbit. At the time of contract award, three missions have been named as Med-Lite payloads: the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopy Explorer (FUSE); Mars Surveyor Orbiter-2; and Mars Surveyor Lander-1. FUSE is scheduled for launch in 1998, the Orbiter is scheduled for launch in December 1998, and the Lander is scheduled for launch in January 1999. In addition to the three named missions, two firm unnamed missions are scheduled for flight under the new contract as well as nine optional missions, for a total of 14 launch services.

The contract includes an eight-year ordering period for the optional missions beginning at the time of the signing. McDonnell Douglas proposed a nominal 30-month call-up for each launch service. Launches are planned from both the East and West Coast to support Discovery, Explorer, and Mission to Planet Earth requirements.

McDonnell Douglas is the prime contractor and will provide launch services under the contract with Delta II 7300, Delta-Lite and Taurus vehicles. The Delta Lite will be available under this contract, when developed by McDonnell Douglas.

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