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NASA has awarded Rocket Lab USA Inc. a launch services task order for the upcoming Aspera mission, a SmallSat designed to study the formation and evolution of galaxies. Aspera will observe ultraviolet light to investigate hot gases in the intergalactic medium, contributing to ongoing efforts to better understand the universe’s structure and the lifecycle of galaxies.
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The launch order was issued under NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. VADR offers fixed-price task orders for small satellite launches over a five-year ordering period, with an overall contract ceiling of $300 million. Rocket Lab, based in Long Beach, California, is one of several providers under this framework.
The Aspera spacecraft will analyze how gas flows into and out of galaxies, processes believed to influence star formation. By focusing on the intergalactic medium, Aspera is expected to provide valuable data on the material exchanges that drive galactic development. The mission represents a cost-effective approach to space science, using small-scale hardware to achieve focused astrophysical objectives.
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Funded through NASA’s Pioneers Program within the agency’s Astrophysics Division, Aspera is led by principal investigator Carlos Vargas of the University of Arizona in Tucson. The mission is one of several small, lower-cost projects intended to explore big science questions through compact spacecraft. NASA’s Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center is managing the launch contract as part of the VADR initiative.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from NASA Headquarters, Contract Release C25-010
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