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 directs $10.51 billion in federal funds to The Boeing Company for the development of critical flight hardware for the 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 perform manufacturing, assembly, and engineering services for the Ares I upper stage.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The agency is responsible for the oversight, integration, and funding of the Ares I development program.

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 launch vehicle. The contract outlines a transition of responsibilities from NASA to Boeing for production, logistics, and engineering support as the project moves through design and certification milestones.

Key Facts

The contract value is $10.51 billion.
The Boeing Company is responsible for manufacturing and assembling the Ares I upper stage, including the instrument unit and booster separation motors.
The upper stage provides the second stage of flight, roll control during the first stage burn, and guidance/navigation/avionics functions.
NASA retains responsibility for overall vehicle integration, design requirements, and government-furnished property like the upper stage engine.
The contract baseline design is defined in the USO-CLV-SE-25704 US Design Definition Document.
NASA will transition manufacturing, logistics, configuration management, and sustaining engineering to Boeing no later than 90 days after specific project milestones.
Manufacturing and assembly transition occurs after the Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
Logistics support infrastructure transition occurs after the US PDR.
Configuration management transition occurs after the Critical Design Review (CDR).
Sustaining engineering transition occurs after the Design Certification Review (DCR).
Following the DCR, NASA shifts to an 'insight' role, while Boeing assumes responsibility for production and operations support.

Why It Matters

This contract directs $10.51 billion in federal funds to The Boeing Company for the development of critical flight hardware for the rocket program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of The Boeing Company in this project?

Boeing is the contractor responsible for manufacturing and assembling the upper stage of the rocket, as well as providing engineering support and eventually managing logistics and operations.

What is NASA's role once the contract is underway?

NASA manages the overall design requirements, provides (like the engine), and oversees the integration of the rocket components. After the Design Certification Review, NASA shifts to an oversight role.