JOFOC_CCtCap-SpaceX-Additional-Missions_07.07.26_Redacted.pdf

Rev.: 4/2026

In order to ensure continued uninterrupted operations of the ISS through 2030, NASA requires up to six additional missions to meet crew rotation needs.

and recognizing that no other company is capable of supporting crew rotation services, it is determined that SpaceX is the only responsible source for additional missions in the near term.

As a result of the above and other rationale described in section 5 below, NASA has a need for up to six additional PCMs (i.e. PCMs 15 - 20) from SpaceX to ensure uninterrupted crew access to the ISS. The current FFP PCM contract prices were either competitively awarded or negotiated, and all prices were determined to be fair and reasonable. The total estimated value of this action to award six additional PCMs to SpaceX is approximately . The estimated period of performance of this action is from September 2026 through December 2030.

4. FAR 6.104-1(a)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C.

3204(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.103-1 Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. FAR 6.104-1(a)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) is that only one responsible source can provide the crew transportation services required to meet NASA’s near-term ISS crew rotation needs.

NASA has ordered all SpaceX CCtCap missions currently available on contract, SpaceX has successfully completed eleven crew rotation missions, with a twelfth mission in progress, and has demonstrated re-flight capability to meet NASA’s crew rotation requirement of one mission every six months.

In contrast, Boeing continues to experience significant technical and schedule challenges, delaying the certification of their CTS. As of May 2026, Boeing’s PCM 1 mission has been delayed, and Boeing has not yet demonstrated the capability to meet NASA’s mission needs.

Boeing’s development history demonstrates a clear pattern of extended delays between major flight milestones. More than two years elapsed between Orbital Flight Test 1 in 2019 and Orbital Flight Test 2 in 2022, as Boeing worked to address software, timing, and communication system deficiencies. An additional two years passed before Boeing launched the 2024 Crewed Flight Test (CFT). During CFT, the spacecraft experienced multiple significant anomalies.

NASA and Boeing plan to conduct at least one uncrewed mission before attempting another crewed flight.

Given the scale of the required work and Boeing’s historical two year cycle between major flight attempts, Boeing is not ready to provide operational crewed PCMs within NASA’s required timeframe.

NASA currently has no contracted SpaceX crew rotation missions beyond the PCM 14 mission in . Maintaining a continuous six month ISS crew rotation cadence requires that authorization to proceed for the next mission be issued approximately 24 months before launch to support crew integration, mission planning, vehicle processing, safety reviews, and joint ISS visiting vehicle analysis. Without additional missions ordered in this window, a gap in U.S. ISS crew access may begin as early as .

NASA has evaluated whether other commercial entities could meet crew rotation needs within the necessary schedule and concluded that no domestic provider has progressed sufficiently in the development, design, test, and evaluation of an integrated crew transportation system capable of meeting ISS visiting vehicle requirements. In addition, NASA experience shows that certification of a human rated transportation system, encompassing end to end design, subsystem qualification, uncrewed and crewed flight test, ISS integration, and safety/mission assurance, typically requires not less than six years to complete once contracts are in place. Although additional commercial providers are developing crew transportation concepts, none are expected to achieve NASA CTS certification until after the period in which the subject ISS crew rotation services are needed.

Should Boeing become fully certified, NASA will require additional crew rotation missions beyond those currently contracted, to sustain ISS operations. NASA must order the next three near term SpaceX missions concomitantly with increasing the CCtCap maximum quantity to accommodate the full spectrum of credible mission demand scenarios.

Further, this acquisition enables various mission uncertainties including but not limited to: 1) Boeing promptly achieving certification and each provider alternating one mission per year, 2) Boeing failing to achieve certification and support operations and SpaceX providing uninterrupted crew access through 2030, and 3) unknown contingencies.

Increasing SpaceX’s CCtCap maximum quantity from 14 to 20 is therefore essential to ensure NASA can order the near term missions needed to preserve ISS access while also covering the full range of realistic provider readiness outcomes.

These additional missions do not replace Boeing’s ordered PCMs; rather, they are required to satisfy total ISS crew rotation demand. No other provider can supply this capability within the timeframe required.

In summary:

Given the absence of any currently certified second provider, the time required for potential new entrant providers to achieve CTS certification, the historically multi year anomaly resolution cycles associated with Boeing’s crew system development, and the immediate need to prevent interruptions to NASA’s six month ISS crew rotation cadence, SpaceX is the only responsible source able to provide the additional near term Post Certification Missions required to ensure continuous U.S. crew access to the ISS.

ISS crew rotations are required through 2030. NASA’s analysis of required SpaceX missions through 2030 demonstrates a need for up to six additional SpaceX missions.

Standard ATP and readiness lead times, contingency capability, and crew rotation needs require immediate ordering of up to three SpaceX missions.

6. FAR 6.104-1(a)(6) – A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by part 5 and, if not, which exception under part 5 applies:

A notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (Sam.gov) was published on May 18, 2026, in accordance with FAR part 5.1. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source modification to SpaceX. The results of this synopsis are summarized in Section 10 below.

7. FAR 6.104-1(a)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer’s signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The Contractor must be required to submit a proposal, to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable. The proposed pricing will be determined fair and reasonable based on a comparison to historical prices paid by the Government, published historical prices paid by others entities, independent Government cost estimates, and analysis of data other than certified cost or pricing data provided by the offeror.

8. FAR 6.104-1(a)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted (e.g., urgent, and compelling requirement):

NASA conducted extensive multi year market research to determine whether any domestic commercial provider, beyond the current CCtCap contractors, could feasibly deliver a fully certified, ISS compatible crew transportation system within the timeframe required to maintain continuous U.S. presence on the ISS.

This research effort incorporated:

Industry responses to the 2021 Commercial Crew Transportation RFI and the 2026

NASA Low Earth Orbit Transportation RFI.

Observations through ongoing Commercial Crew Space Capability 2 (CCSC 2) Space

Act Agreements.

NASA’s operational and programmatic experience executing and overseeing the CCtCap contracts with Boeing and SpaceX.

Review of publicly available aerospace industry data, including vehicle development progress, announced milestones, demonstrated performance, and schedule reliability across the commercial sector.

Based on the totality of market research:

Only two domestic companies, SpaceX and Boeing, are currently pursuing integrated crew transportation systems capable of meeting ISS compatibility requirements by 2030.

Only SpaceX is presently certified and operational, with demonstrated six month mission cadence and immediate ability to support ISS rotation requirements.

Boeing’s Starliner system remains uncertified, All other U.S. aerospace companies are in early development, lack human rated spacecraft, or have no reasonable path to complete design, development, and test, and achieve NASA certification, until after 2030.

While additional commercial providers may achieve capability sometime during or after 2030, historical certification timelines under CCtCap, current industry maturity, and available Government resources make any new certified provider with PCM capability by end of 2030 highly unlikely.

Given the current state of the U.S. commercial spaceflight industry, SpaceX and Boeing remain the only sources capable of meeting NASA’s required timeframe for safe, reliable, and continuous crew access to the ISS. Among these, only SpaceX provides certified, operational service today, making its capability essential to meet uninterrupted ISS crew rotation commitments.