NASA Modifies Launch Service Contract To Add Delta II Rocket

NASA Modifies Launch Service Contract To Add Delta II Rocket by jacqmans on 30 Sep, 2011 20:29
CONTRACT RELEASE: C11-044

NASA MODIFIES LAUNCH SERVICE CONTRACT TO ADD DELTA II ROCKET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA announced the modification of its NASA
Launch Services (NLS) II contract with United Launch Services of
Littleton, Colo., to add the Delta II rocket launch service in
accordance with the contract's on-ramp provision. The modification
will enable United Launch Services to offer as many as five Delta II
rockets.

The NLS II contracts are multiple award, indefinite-delivery,
indefinite-quantity contracts with ordering periods through June
2020. The NLS II on-ramp provision provides an opportunity annually
for new launch service providers to compete for future missions and
allows existing launch service providers to introduce launch vehicles
not currently on their NLS II contracts.

The NLS II contracts provide for a minimum capability of delivering
agency payloads weighing approximately 550 pounds or more to a
minimum 124-mile-high circular orbit with a launch inclination of
28.5 degrees. The launch service providers also may offer a range of
vehicles to NASA to meet higher payload mass and orbit requirements.

The NLS II contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency's
Human Exploration and Operations and Science Mission Directorates.
Under the contract, NASA also can provide launch services to other
government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.

The Launch Services Program Office at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida is responsible for program management. For more information
about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

-end-
#1 by jcm on 30 Sep, 2011 20:36
An outbreak of sanity?
#2 by Art LeBrun on 30 Sep, 2011 20:39
Wow. Go Delta II. Is this at VAFB only?
#3 by Chris Bergin on 30 Sep, 2011 21:15
ULA release! Go Delta II!

NASA Puts United Launch Alliance’s Delta II on Contract

Denver, Colo., (Sept. 30, 2011) – NASA announced the addition of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Delta II rocket to the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract.

“We are extremely pleased NASA has added the reliable Delta II to the NLS II contract and look forward to continuing the legacy of the program,” said Michael Gass, ULA’s president and CEO. “ULA has demonstrated its ability to fully integrate Atlas V, Delta IV and Delta II product lines allowing us to continue offering medium launch capability at the best value for our customers.”

The Delta II Program has a rich heritage and has been launched 150 times with a success rate of 98.7 percent.

“While we count success one mission at a time, we have been able to count on the Delta II's success 96 times in a row over the last decade,” stated Gass “This is a tribute to our dedicated ULA employees, our supplier teammates and our NASA Launch Services Program customer who ensure mission success is the focus of each and every launch.”

ULA’s Delta II has launched the majority of NASA’s critical science missions over the last decade including the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, Genesis, Phoenix Mars Lander, Stardust and most recently the twin GRAIL spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Sept. 10.

ULA's next launch is the Delta II NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) mission for NASA scheduled for Oct. 25, 2011 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., and Harlingen, Texas. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA Web site at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321).
#4 by Jim on 30 Sep, 2011 21:49
Quote from: Art LeBrun on 30 Sep, 2011 20:39
Wow. Go Delta II. Is this at VAFB only?

Yes
#5 by Jim on 30 Sep, 2011 21:50
Quote from: jcm on 30 Sep, 2011 20:36
An outbreak of sanity?

It wasn't NASA's fault that it wasnt offered by ULA
#6 by kevin-rf on 01 Oct, 2011 14:38
This is a naive and very grey question, but when the NLS II tenders where accepted, Was NASA allowed to look them over and ask ULA, why aren't you offering X, Y, and Delta II?

I realize there are rules governing behavior, what you can and can not say, Delta II was a work horse on its way out, ULA chose to put all it's eggs in the Atlas V basket. Just curious.

Under NLS, are they allowed to approach launch vendors who have not tendered offers and ask? OR is that a big no no?
#7 by Jim on 01 Oct, 2011 16:18
Tney can talk but it is up to the vendors
#8 by Robotbeat on 01 Oct, 2011 23:08
Why did ULA keep it out earlier, then? Did they think they could make more money just with Atlas V? What made them put it back? Taurus II and Falcon 9?
#9 by Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 03:35
Was it not the case that any user of Delta-II beyond the scheduled final launch would be required to carry the full cost of maintaining the launch pad? Is NASA now going to pay for the pad maintenance on "overhead" until a prospective user launches?
#10 by joek on 02 Oct, 2011 04:28
Quote from: Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 03:35
Was it not the case that any user of Delta-II beyond the scheduled final launch would be required to carry the full cost of maintaining the launch pad? Is NASA now going to pay for the pad maintenance on "overhead" until a prospective user launches?

Don't think so. NASA is under no obligation to pay ULA's overhead, unlike the agreement with the USAF (unless there has been some recent change in the agreement between NASA-USAF-NRO-etc?).

ULA may essentially set whatever price they choose, and NASA is free to choose them or not on a competitive launch-by-launch price basis, as NLS-II is an IDIQ contract.
#11 by Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 05:15
Quote from: joek on 02 Oct, 2011 04:28
Quote from: Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 03:35
Was it not the case that any user of Delta-II beyond the scheduled final launch would be required to carry the full cost of maintaining the launch pad? Is NASA now going to pay for the pad maintenance on "overhead" until a prospective user launches?

Don't think so. NASA is under no obligation to pay ULA's overhead, unlike the agreement with the USAF (unless there has been some recent change in the agreement between NASA-USAF-NRO-etc?).

ULA may essentially set whatever price they choose, and NASA is free to choose them or not on a competitive launch-by-launch price basis, as NLS-II is an IDIQ contract.

If that's so, then it would be very hard for any program to afford the Delta-II, eroding, erasing, or reversing the savings over an Atlas-V.

Rephrased, will there be any Delta-II pad to use without carrying it's support costs?
#12 by robertross on 02 Oct, 2011 14:19
Quote from: jcm on 30 Sep, 2011 20:36
An outbreak of sanity?

Looks like it.

So happy to see this news.
#13 by Lurker Steve on 02 Oct, 2011 14:42
Quote from: Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 05:15
Quote from: joek on 02 Oct, 2011 04:28
Quote from: Comga on 02 Oct, 2011 03:35
Was it not the case that any user of Delta-II beyond the scheduled final launch would be required to carry the full cost of maintaining the launch pad? Is NASA now going to pay for the pad maintenance on "overhead" until a prospective user launches?

Don't think so. NASA is under no obligation to pay ULA's overhead, unlike the agreement with the USAF (unless there has been some recent change in the agreement between NASA-USAF-NRO-etc?).

ULA may essentially set whatever price they choose, and NASA is free to choose them or not on a competitive launch-by-launch price basis, as NLS-II is an IDIQ contract.

If that's so, then it would be very hard for any program to afford the Delta-II, eroding, erasing, or reversing the savings over an Atlas-V.

Rephrased, will there be any Delta-II pad to use without carrying it's support costs?

How much does it cost to support the pad ? Since they aren't going to support launches from both coasts, the launch overhead is actually reduced now.

The question is, are they going to lose out on any NASA bids, since they won't be able to launch from the East Coast ?

I thought I read that there were approx 5 Delta II's in various stages of assembly, or at least parts for those launches. What happens to the price when they need to restart the production line for Delta II parts ?
#14 by baldusi on 02 Oct, 2011 14:46
I think that given the delays of the Taurus II and Falcon 9 program, they found that they won't have enough minimum flights to start certification (at least 3 flights in the same configuration). Taurus will have 2 flights with Castor 30A, 2 with Castor 30B, and then fly with Castor 30XL, while NASA and SpaceX knows how many changes they are making. From public information it seems that it will be 6 Melin 1C flights, and then all Merlin 1D flights, and again, we don't know what changes might or might not be there.
So, they can't even be elected until they fly 3 flights in the same configuration. Then they can start with certification. And only to get Level 1 (out of 3). So it's quite probable that there's a gap of two or three years until NASA can actually fly with Orbital an/or SpaceX, and thus they are trying to fill that gap with the last five Delta II. That's a best case, if they have any mission that requires Category 2 or 3, they can count on either COTS winner for at least six years.
Besides, the carry cost of the Delta II pad was calculated by the GAO at 20M. But certification of a new LV is at least 15M. An Atlas V 401 might be around 140M (according to NWO paper). So, as long as a single Delta II launch is less than 120M, it will be cheaper than an Atlas V. And if they can put more than two flights per year, more so.
#15 by Jim on 02 Oct, 2011 14:49
Quote from: Lurker Steve on 02 Oct, 2011 14:42

Snip

The question is, are they going to lose out on any NASA bids, since they won't be able to launch from the East Coast ?

I thought I read that there were approx 5 Delta II's in various stages of assembly, or at least parts for those launches. What happens to the price when they need to restart the production line for Delta II parts ?

1. no, since there aren't missions in its class in the wings
2. no, they are only trying to sell the 5. The parts that exist are the subcontractor components, engines, 2nd stage tanks, avionics, SRM's, etc. The structure of the vehicles still needs to be built.
#16 by baldusi on 03 Oct, 2011 13:38
Quote from: Jim on 02 Oct, 2011 14:49
Quote from: Lurker Steve on 02 Oct, 2011 14:42

Snip

The question is, are they going to lose out on any NASA bids, since they won't be able to launch from the East Coast ?

I thought I read that there were approx 5 Delta II's in various stages of assembly, or at least parts for those launches. What happens to the price when they need to restart the production line for Delta II parts ?

1. no, since there aren't missions in its class in the wings
2. no, they are only trying to sell the 5. The parts that exist are the subcontractor components, engines, 2nd stage tanks, avionics, SRM's, etc. The structure of the vehicles still needs to be built.
Could these delta II be used to replenish the GPS fleet?
#17 by Jim on 03 Oct, 2011 14:19
no,
a.GPS spacecraft no longer have AKM's/ABM's.
b. USAF doesn't have a contract for them
c. This contract is for west coast missions
#18 by joek on 08 Nov, 2011 21:31
The NASA launch services program site recently added a Delta II page with a few more details.

edit: sorry, for some reason direct link to Delta II page won't work (enter site then click on Delta II page).