Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Development Program Phase 2 Industry Acquisition Update

The document outlines the Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destination Phase 2 Certification and Services by NASA, detailing the agency's approach to acquiring end-to-end mission services from commercial LEO operators. Key services include crew training, payload processing, transport, and in-flight support, aiming to enhance collaboration with commercial partners while ensuring mission safety and objectives. The strategy emphasizes continuity of payload and transportation capabilities, indicating a mature low Earth orbit market. Upcoming initiatives include workshops and a virtual Industry Day for stakeholder engagement, addressing crucial topics like legal concerns, evaluation criteria, and minimum operational requirements. These interactions will gather industry feedback for refining program requirements. The overall acquisition schedule remains intact, with potential acceleration options under consideration. This document serves as an update in the context of federal RFPs and grants, highlighting NASA's commitment to involving the commercial sector in space endeavors while maintaining stringent safety regulations.

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The document outlines the acquisition update from NASA regarding the Commercial LEO Destinations Contract (CLD) Phase 2, emphasizing the assessment of commercial viability for bidders. NASA will provide metrics for this assessment, focusing on providers' ability to demonstrate viability beyond government contracts. It details the transaction structure, indicating that contracts for Phase 2 will be FAR-based, without additional Funded Space Act Agreements. NASA's strategy includes evaluating past performance, investments, and how to maintain a competitive field among bidders. The document discusses requirements for certified transportation services for crew and cargo, with NASA currently planning to procure these directly, while also considering international partnerships. There will be a timeline for crew presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with the goal of having two astronauts continuously present by 2031. NASA urges industry engagement and will hold workshops to gather feedback on requirements and safety, aiming for inclusion of various stakeholders in the procurement process. Overall, the document reflects NASA's commitment to fostering a robust commercial presence in LEO while ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient operations as the agency transitions from existing facilities like the ISS.

NASA's Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) Program is updating its acquisition strategy for Phase 2 Certification and Services, aiming to purchase end-to-end mission services from commercial owner/operators. Key updates include NASA initially providing crew and cargo transportation, offering other government-furnished services, and allowing interim short-duration missions. The strategy embraces an evolutionary approach for CLD providers, with a Minimum Initial Operating Capability (IOC) required by December 2029, continuous crew missions by 2030, and Full Operating Capability (FOC) by December 2031. NASA plans to offer increased support, including potentially jointly developed systems, and will leverage Government-Provided Assets (GTA) and Reimbursable Space Act Agreements (RSAA) processes. The revised schedule aims for a CLD Phase 2 Final RFP in Fall 2025 and awards in Summer 2026, ensuring no gap in Low Earth Orbit capabilities after the International Space Station's planned deorbit.

NASA's December 2024 Acquisition Update addresses numerous questions regarding the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) Phase 2 procurement. Key areas include the assessment of "commercial viability," which will involve evaluating providers' ability to demonstrate viability beyond government customers and potentially considering private capital investments. NASA plans for CLD Contract (Phase 2) to be a FAR-based contract, anticipating a FAR Part 15 competition that may include IDIQ Task Orders and multiple awards. The agency aims to avoid a gap in human presence in LEO by requiring minimum initial operating capability by 2029 and full operational capabilities by December 2031, with a continuous presence of at least two NASA astronauts planned by December 2030. NASA will initially provide transportation for its missions but plans to transition this responsibility to CLD providers later. Certification requirements are still being finalized, with a process similar to the Commercial Crew Program. Industry engagement opportunities, including a Requirements and Safety Workshop in January 2025 and an Industry Day in March or April 2025, are planned to release further details on evaluation criteria, contract terms, liability frameworks, and specific requirements.

The document provides an industry acquisition update for the Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) Phase 2 Certification and Services program, managed by NASA. The program aims to transition NASA's low Earth orbit (LEO) operations to commercial entities, ensuring continuous access to LEO for various missions. NASA intends to purchase comprehensive end-to-end mission services from commercial LEO destination owner/operators, including crew training, payload processing, transport, and in-flight support. This strategy maximizes CLO partner involvement while NASA focuses on crew safety and mission objectives. The acquisition strategy emphasizes no gap in LEO capability, market flexibility, and transport maturity. The CLD Phase 1,