A Delta 2 rocket on launch pad 17A at Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station earlier this year before lofting a NASA comet probe. Photo: NASA

NASA has chosen the Delta 2 expendable launch vehicle, provided by Boeing Launch Services, Inc. to launch 19 NASA and NASA-sponsored medium-class scientific payloads between 2006 and early 2009. Boeing Launch Services, Inc. is headquartered in Huntington Beach Calif. and is a wholly owned subsidiary to The Boeing Company.

This is a firm fixed-price launch service task order awarded under the terms of the current NASA Launch Services contract and has a value of $1.2 billion, if all options are exercised. The contract calls for 12 firm launches with options for seven more.

This "19-Pack" acquisition will maintain an important niche capability in the domestic launch vehicle medium-performance class while assuring access to space for NASA's highest priority planetary and earth science spacecraft.

Twelve launches are planned from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and seven are planned from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Seven launches are scheduled in calendar year 2006, six in calendar year 2007, two in calendar year 2008, and four in calendar year 2009.

Boeing Launch Services is one of two NASA Launch services providers.