CAPE CANAVERAL—NASA has added five more missions to SpaceX’s crew transportation services contract, bringing the total value for 14 flights to $4.9 billion.
NASA awarded SpaceX and Boeing Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contracts in 2014 covering flight tests of their privately developed space taxis and up to six operational missions. SpaceX’s original award was $2.6 billion, while Boeing’s was $4.2 billion.
SpaceX completed uncrewed and crewed flight tests in 2020 and 2021 and is preparing to launch its fifth group of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA in October.
After overcoming a series of technical issues, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner completed an uncrewed flight test in May. A crewed flight test to the ISS is targeted for February. Following certification, Boeing would then join SpaceX in ferrying crews to and from the ISS.
The firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract modification to SpaceX’s CCtCap agreement begins with Crew-10 and covers flights through Crew-14, NASA announced on Aug. 31.
NASA in February awarded SpaceX additional missions for Crew-7, Crew-8 and Crew-9.
The additional five missions and related services increase the value of SpaceX’s contract by $1.44 billion. The work covers ground, launch, in-orbit, and return and recovery operations, cargo transportation and a lifeboat capability while docked to the ISS. The contract performance period runs through 2030, which dovetails with when NASA is currently planning to end the ISS program.
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