NASA has added SpaceX’s Starship to its contract for launching agency missions, a move that could pave the way for the vehicle to compete in future launches. The SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets are already on the National Launch Services (NLS) II contract, which is used by NASA for science and exploration missions.
However, adding Starship does not automatically make it eligible to bid on all NASA missions. Vehicles on the NLS II contract are categorized based on their level of risk, with three categories defined: high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk vehicles.
Starship’s primary use for now will be for the Human Landing System (HLS) program, which aims to send crewed missions to the moon later this decade. SpaceX has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission seeking authorization for communications with Starship, and NASA has accepted it for filing.
The approved frequencies for Starship communications in orbit and at the moon will be used for major national priority projects, including launching next-generation satellites and inhabited spacecraft. The company plans to operate Starship in low Earth orbit, a lunar orbit, and near rectilinear halo orbit for Artemis missions, including the lunar Gateway.
Source: https://spacenews.com/nasa-adds-starship-to-launch-contract