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NASA Awards Launch Services for StarBurst Gamma-Ray Detector
NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the StarBurst mission, a small satellite designed to study neutron star mergers and short gamma-ray bursts.
Why it matters
This mission helps researchers understand the origins of powerful cosmic explosions by combining data from multiple signal types.
The big picture
This contract award for SpaceX continues NASA's use of commercial launch providers, a sector where SpaceX competes with companies like Blue Origin.
The details
- The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. - The selection is a firm-fixed-price task order under the VADR launch services contract. - The VADR contract has a maximum total value of $1 billion across a 10-year period. - The satellite will observe the portion of the sky not blocked by Earth.
What's next
The StarBurst mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2028.
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