NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has started soliciting proposals from industry on communications and tracking services to near-space missions extending up to 2 million kilometers from Earth.
The Near Space Network Services contract encompasses support for payloads, launch vehicles, robotic spacecraft and human spaceflight missions, according to a solicitation notice posted Tuesday.
Awards will be divided into two categories: direct-to-earth services to connect ground stations and user missions, and space relay services to transmit mission-critical data between ground stations and space assets.
Both categories will have a five-year basic ordering period valued at $584.9 million and a five-year option with a maximum value of $4.2 billion, NASA noted.
The NSN operates within GSFC’s Exploration and Space Communications Projects divisions and serves missions in low Earth, medium Earth, lunar and geostationary orbits.
Responses are due March 24.
