NASA Modifies Launch Service Contract to Add Falcon 9 Rocket

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (NASA PR) –
NASA has announced a modification of its NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, Calif., to add an additional configuration of the Falcon 9 rocket to its fleet. The SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 launch service will be available to the agency’s Launch Services Program to use for future missions in accordance with the on-ramp provision of NLS II.

The NLS II on-ramp provision provides an annual opportunity 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 are multiple award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts with ordering periods through June 2020.

The NLS II contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, and the Office of the Chief Technologist. 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.

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  • Marcus Zottl

    I wonder what this Falcon 9 v1.1 is?
    Just the latest evolution of the Merlin (D? E?) or is there more to it?

    The SpaceX F9 user guide still lists the Falcon 9 with Merlin 1C engines, but that is from 2009 and on the webpage the thrust of the Merlin on F9 is listed as 125,000 lbf at sea level (no mention which version of Merlin) but on the F1 page the Merlin 1C is listed with only 115,000 lbf at sea level and on the F9H page, if you do the math, the thrust is ~140,000 lbf per engine.

  • mr. mark

    9v1.1 is a single stretched Falcon Heavy central core along with a possible new Merlin 1d engine configuration.

  • Marcus Zottl

    Just found this interview with Elon Musk.
    http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/003/120518musk/

    According to this, F9 1.1 uses the Merlin 1D engines and is a whopping 50% longer then the current one.