February 27, 1996


Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, DC                                            
(Phone:  202/358-1779)

Ernie J. Shannon
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
(Phone:  301/286-6256)

RELEASE:  96-12

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AEROSPACE AWARDED CONTRACT TO PROVIDE MED-
LITE ELV SERVICES

	NASA has awarded McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, Huntington Beach, CA, a 
contract to provide fixed-price medium-light (Med-Lite) class expendable launch vehicle 
services.  The Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, VA, is a major subcontractor.  

	The contract has the potential value of approximately $500 million depending on 
the number of options exercised, vehicle configurations, and  mission-unique 
requirements.

	The program, which will be managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, 
Greenbelt, MD, is scoped to provide launch capability in the range of 4,400 pounds 
(1,995 kg) to low Earth orbit.  At the time of contract award, three missions have been 
named as Med-Lite payloads:  the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopy Explorer (FUSE); 1998 
Mars Surveyor Orbiter-2; and 1998 Mars Surveyor Lander-1.  The Orbiter is scheduled 
for launch in December 1998, the Lander is scheduled for launch in January 1999.  
FUSE is scheduled for launch in 1998.  In addition to the three named missions, two 
firm unnamed missions are scheduled for flight under the new contract as well as nine 
optional missions for a total of 14 launch services.

-more-


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	The contract includes an eight-year ordering period for the optional missions 
beginning at the time of the signing.  McDonnell Douglas proposed a nominal 30-month 
call-up for each launch service.  Launches are planned from both the East and West 
Coast to support Discovery, Explorer and Mission to Planet Earth requirements.

	McDonnell Douglas is the prime contractor and will provide launch services 
under the contract with Delta II 7300, Delta-Lite and Taurus vehicles.  The Delta-Lite 
will be available under this contract, when developed by McDonnell Douglas.

-end-

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