Rosalind Franklin Mission Launch Vehicle Risk Assessment
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center has awarded a Fixed-Price Purchase Order to ASCA, INC. for the Rosalind Franklin Mission Launch Vehicle Risk Assessment. This sole-source award, valued at $563,000.00, is for critical Event Sequence Diagrams (ESDs) to assess risk levels for launch vehicles carrying nuclear payloads.
Scope of Work
ASCA, INC. will provide Event Sequence Diagrams (ESDs) populated with nuclear-enabled mission-specific launch vehicle accident failure scenarios and outcomes. This analysis is essential for characterizing launch failure probabilities, quantifying accident environments, assessing inertia effects on nuclear payloads, and determining nuclear material release risks. The work will also identify risk tiering levels in accordance with National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-20, specifically for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Fixed-Price Purchase Order
- Awardee: ASCA, INC.
- Value: $563,000.00
- Duration: Estimated 13 months
- Set-Aside: Not Applicable (Sole Source)
- Award Date: May 8, 2026
- Contracting Activity: NASA Kennedy Space Center
Justification for Sole Source
This award was made under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) and FAR 6.103-1, citing only one responsible source. ASCA possesses unique qualifications, including specialized expertise, proprietary analytical frameworks, and datasets developed through extensive work on previous NASA missions (e.g., Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Mars 2020). Their proprietary process and global database of launch vehicle histories are considered unmatched and critical for NSPM-20 compliance. Market research, including a SAM.gov notice on February 12, 2026, confirmed that other companies lacked the capacity to meet NASA's nuclear launch approval standards or provide the required ESD methodology and data.
Additional Notes
The Contracting Officer determined the anticipated cost to be fair and reasonable. NASA intends to continue examining the market for alternative solutions for future acquisitions.