NASA has selected SpaceX to launch StarBurst, a small astrophysics satellite designed to study neutron star mergers and the origins of short gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft will fly on a Bandwagon rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, no earlier than 2028.
A rideshare contract under VADR
The award is a firm-fixed-price task order under NASA's VADR contract (Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare). According to NASA, this indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract lets the agency buy launch services during a ten year ordering period, with a maximum total value of 1 billion US dollars across all contracts. NASA's Launch Services Program Office at Kennedy Space Center manages the contract.
What StarBurst will observe
StarBurst is designed to watch the entire part of the sky that is not blocked by the Earth and search for gamma-ray bursts, brief and very powerful explosions. It will focus on the initial high energy emission from short gamma-ray bursts, which occur when neutron stars merge. Researchers plan to combine StarBurst's data with gravitational wave measurements and follow-up observations by other telescopes, an approach known as multimessenger astronomy.
The mission is part of NASA's Astrophysics Pioneers Program, which supports lower cost investigations using small spacecraft and other platforms.
Why it matters for the launch market
- Rideshare for science: NASA is using a shared launch for a science smallsat instead of a dedicated rocket.
- Contract flexibility: VADR allows the agency to order dedicated and rideshare launches for small missions from a pool of providers.
- Long lead times: the launch is booked well ahead of the earliest launch date, which is typical for rideshare planning.
Related reading
- Rideshare or Dedicated Launch? How Small Satellites Get to Orbit
- CubeSats Explained: Sizes, Standards and How They Reach Orbit
- How Are Satellites Launched Into Space? From the Launch Pad to Orbit
Sources
Cover image: Supercomputer simulation of two neutron stars colliding and forming a black hole. Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001101), public domain.