NASA has officially added SpaceX’s Starship to its NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract, allowing future science missions to use the spacecraft once it completes an orbital flight. The addition is part of a long-standing relationship between SpaceX and NASA, which includes billions of dollars in funding.
The NLS II contract runs until 2032, with SpaceX under pressure to make Starship operational by next year. The company plans to send an uncrewed version of Starship to Mars by late 2026, potentially using it for the Artemis III Moon landing mission.
Despite recent setbacks, including a failed launch and explosion in March, SpaceX is working towards a successful flight where the ship reaches orbit and returns safely to Earth. Construction on a launch tower at Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A is expected to begin this year, with the Gigabyte Starship factory set to start construction in April.
For NASA, the addition of Starship increases its options for future missions, while SpaceX aims to overcome technical challenges and make the spacecraft operational for human missions.
Source: https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/nasa-includes-spacex-s-starship-in-launch-services-program-fleet/story