NASA Contract for Ares I Rocket Development

Original title: National Aeronautics and Space Administration → THE BOEING COMPANY ($10.51B)

aerospace government-contracting nasa manufacturing engineering

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The Frame

What this does

This contract represents a $10.51 billion federal expenditure for the development of critical space flight hardware, defining the division of labor between NASA and a private contractor for the Ares I rocket program.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

The Boeing Company

The company is contractually obligated to manufacture and assemble the Ares I upper stage and provide engineering support.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The agency is responsible for funding, design requirements, and overall integration of the Ares I launch vehicle.

What changed

No recent stage movement in the current record.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

NASA has awarded a $10.51 billion contract to The Boeing Company to develop, manufacture, and assemble the upper stage of the Ares I launch vehicle. The contract outlines a transition of responsibilities from NASA to Boeing for production, logistics, and engineering support as the project reaches specific design and certification milestones.

Key Facts

The contract value is $10.51 billion.
Boeing is responsible for manufacturing and assembling the Ares I upper stage, including installing the engine and instrument unit.
The upper stage provides the second stage of flight, roll control during the first stage burn, and guidance/navigation functions.
NASA retains responsibility for overall vehicle integration, design requirements, and government-furnished property.
NASA will transition manufacturing, logistics, and engineering functions to Boeing within 90 days of specific project milestones.
The Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone triggers the transition of manufacturing and assembly responsibilities.
The Critical Design Review (CDR) milestone triggers the transition of configuration management.
The Design Certification Review (DCR) milestone triggers the transition of sustaining engineering.
After the DCR, NASA shifts to an 'insight' role, monitoring Boeing's production and operations.
The baseline design for the contract is defined in the USO-CLV-SE-25704 US Design Definition Document.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of the 'Upper Stage' in the Ares I rocket?

It serves as the second stage of flight, providing guidance, navigation, command and data handling, and roll control during the first stage burn.

Does NASA stop working on the project once the contract is signed?

No. NASA remains responsible for overall vehicle integration and maintains an 'insight' role to monitor the contractor's production and engineering work.

When does Boeing take over full responsibility for manufacturing?

Boeing takes over manufacturing and assembly responsibilities no later than 90 days after the completion of the Preliminary Design Review (PDR).

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Phased Transition of Responsibility

The contract explicitly ties the transfer of operational control from NASA to the contractor to specific design review milestones, indicating a structured risk-mitigation strategy.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Boeing Company