NASA has awarded Relativity Space a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract for its Terran R launch service. The agency announced the award on 9 September 2026. With it, Terran R becomes available to NASA's Launch Services Program for future missions.
How the NLS II contract works
The NLS II contracts are multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. According to NASA:
- the ordering period runs until June 2030,
- the overall period of performance runs until December 2032,
- an on-ramp provision gives new launch providers an opportunity every year to compete for future missions,
- existing contractors can use the same provision to add launch vehicles that are not yet on their contract.
Relativity Space was added through this on-ramp provision.
Who can use the service
The NLS II contracts support NASA's Human Spaceflight, Science and Research and Technology mission directorates. NASA can also provide launch services under these contracts to other government agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NASA's Launch Services Program Office at Kennedy Space Center in Florida manages the contracts.
What it means
An NLS II contract does not mean that NASA has already booked a specific mission on Terran R. It means that the rocket can now compete for NASA missions. For a new launch vehicle, this is an important step, because NASA and other government agencies are among the most important customers for medium-lift launches.
Related reading
- Reusable Rockets: How Booster Landings Changed the Launch Market
- From Contract to Liftoff: How a Satellite Launch Works Step by Step
- Space Transport Companies: Latest News and Updates (September 2026)
Sources
- NASA, "NASA Adds Relativity Space's Terran R to Launch Services Contract", 9 September 2026: nasa.gov
Cover image: AI-generated illustration (Carrier Space, created with OpenAI). It does not show the actual vehicle.