Summary
NASA has awarded SpaceX three additional crew-rotation missions to the International Space Station under a $946 million contract modification. The missions, Crew-15 through Crew-17, are expected to have readiness dates in 2027 and 2028.
NASA has awarded SpaceX three additional crew-transportation missions to the International Space Station (ISS), extending the company’s role in the agency’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) programme.
The contract modification covers the Crew-15, Crew-16 and Crew-17 missions. NASA said the three missions and related services are valued at $946 million, with a period of performance running through 2030. Mission readiness dates are listed for 2027 and 2028.
What the contract covers
The award is a firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification. Its $946 million value includes ground operations, launch, in-orbit operations, return and recovery, cargo transportation for each mission, and a lifeboat capability while the spacecraft is docked to the station.
A lifeboat capability allows a crewed spacecraft attached to the ISS to serve as an available return vehicle in an emergency. Under the arrangement, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket will transport as many as four astronauts, together with critical cargo, for each mission.
The new award brings the total number of missions assigned to SpaceX under the CCtCap contract to 17 and raises the total value of NASA’s CCtCap contract with the company to $5.92 billion. NASA said the modification follows a notice of intent issued in May to purchase the additional missions. The agency also said the current sole-source modification does not prevent it from seeking further contract modifications for transportation services if required.
Why NASA is adding the missions
NASA said the additional flights are intended to support regular crew transportation to the ISS and maintain access to the station through two distinct commercial crew partners. The agency awarded CCtCap contracts to Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 through a public-private partnership under its Commercial Crew Program.
Before astronauts fly, NASA certifies that a provider’s space-transportation system meets the agency’s requirements. SpaceX received NASA certification for crew transportation in November 2020. The company’s Crew-12 mission was in orbit and docked to the space station when NASA published the announcement.
The award therefore extends an already certified transportation service rather than introducing a new spacecraft or launch vehicle. It gives NASA three more planned Dragon missions while preserving the programme’s use of commercial providers for routine station crew rotation.
NASA’s announcement identifies readiness years rather than specific launch dates, and it does not name the astronauts assigned to Crew-15, Crew-16 or Crew-17.