Jane Edwards
NASA has asked industry for feedback on how the agency can maximize the long-term efficiency of the Space Launch System, Exploration Ground Systems, Cross-Program Systems Integration and other Exploration Systems Development programs while reducing production, operations and maintenance costs.
The agency plans to consolidate SLS contracts into a single Exploration Production and Operations Contract to support Exploration Transformation System hardware production, maintenance, system integration and operations, according to a request for information posted Tuesday.
Under EPOC, NASA will procure launch services and payload delivery while industry will own vehicle production and flight hardware and lead the ground operations services.
The agency intends to have the consolidated contract in place by December 2023 to support the transition of flight hardware sets for Artemis V mission and beyond.
Interested stakeholders are invited to share their insights on the ownership of flight hardware and contract features that incentivize the corporate entity to market; mechanisms and approaches to making the capability available to non-NASA users; and capability to support block upgrades and integration of design modifications, among other topics.
“The primary goal of the RFI is to gather information to position the agency to support long-term exploration of the Moon and beyond by streamlining SLS production and operations,” said Kathy Lueders, associate administrator for NASA’s space operations mission directorate. “Working with industry will enable us to expand availability of this national capability to not only NASA, but also to other government and non-government entities, and bring down the cost of SLS launches to benefit multiple users.”
NASA will hold a virtual industry forum on Nov. 10 to discuss the components of the RFI. Responses to the RFI are due Jan. 27.
