NASA Awards Rocket Lab USA Inc. Launch Service Task Order for Aspera’s Galaxy Mission

NASA has chosen Rocket Lab USA Inc. in Long Beach, California, to launch the Aspera mission, a SmallSat designed to investigate galaxy formation and evolution, offering fresh insights into the workings of the universe. This decision falls under NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract, allowing the agency to award fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity launch service task orders over a five-year period, with a contract value capped at $300 million.

The Aspera mission will focus on studying the intergalactic medium, the hot gas present in the space between galaxies, by observing ultraviolet light. By examining the inflow and outflow of gas from galaxies, Aspera aims to shed light on the processes contributing to star formation.

Part of NASA’s Pioneers Program within the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, Aspera is funded to conduct compelling astrophysics research efficiently using small hardware and modest payloads. Carlos Vargas, from the University of Arizona in Tucson, serves as the principal investigator for the Aspera mission. The VADR contract is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

For more information on NASA’s Aspera mission and the Pioneers Program, interested individuals can visit the official NASA website at https://go.nasa.gov/42U1Wkn. For further inquiries, contact Joshua Finch or Tiernan Doyle at NASA Headquarters in Washington or Patti Bielling at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.