# NASA Awards SpaceX StarBurst Launch Contract

NASA has awarded SpaceX a firm-fixed-price task order under the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract to provide launch services for the StarBurst mission, a small satellite designed to detect high-energy emissions from neutron star mergers. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than 2028 aboard a Falcon 9 Bandwagon rideshare from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida. This contract exemplifies NASA's continued use of commercial rideshare programs to enable cost-effective access to space for scientific missions.

- The contract is part of NASA's VADR program, which has a ceiling of $1 billion over 10 years for various launch service providers, indicating ongoing opportunities for commercial launch vendors.
- Procurement professionals should note the emphasis on rideshare missions as a cost-saving strategy, potentially increasing demand for small satellite launch services.
- Contractors specializing in launch services, spacecraft integration, and astrophysics instrumentation may find new business prospects aligned with NASA's scientific exploration goals.
- The Florida launch location at Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex 40 remains a key hub for commercial and government space launches, relevant for logistics and support planning.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles, Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** September 18, 2026

### Government Entities
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Kennedy Space Center
- Kennedy Space Center Launch Services Office
- Marshall Space Flight Center

### Vendors
- Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) (prime contractor)

### Sources
- [NASA has awarded SpaceX a launch contract for the StarBurst mission, a small satellite targeting neutron star merger emissions. Launch is set for no earlier than 2028 on a Falcon 9 Bandwagon rideshare. #NASA #aerospace

https://t.co/bV1k1cOSbl](https://x.com/AirProNews/status/2100807538472051081) - twitter-agency
- [NASA awards SpaceX the launch contract for StarBurst, a satellite to detect neutron star merger gamma-ray bursts https://t.co/tNtQbWJc11](https://x.com/digitalbrain01/status/2100693353117491394) - twitter-agency