Brenda Marie Rivers
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded General Atomics a $22.1 million contract to support the agency’s efforts to conduct a rocket test launch in cislunar orbit.
General Atomics will perform Track A contract services as part of DARPA’s Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program, the Department of Defense said Friday.
According to the agency, Track A covers baseline design of a nuclear thermal propulsion reactor and design review.
Seventy-one percent of contract work will take place in San Diego, California, and the remaining 29 percent in Colorado, Maryland, Seattle and Alabama.
General Atomics must conclude services by October 2022.
DARPA is obligating $2.1 million in fiscal 2020 research and development funds at the time award.
The agency received bids for the cost-plus-fixed-award through a competitive acquisition process under a broad agency announcement.
In late 2020, DARPA issued a $14 million task order to Washington, D.C.-based professional services company Gryphon Technologies to support the development of an NTP system for the DRACO effort.
