NASA Extends ISS Cargo Resupply Contracts Through 2030

NASA has announced the extension of three pivotal Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) 2 contracts to support cargo transportation to and from the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, aligning with the station's projected retirement timeline.

The contracts, held by Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, and SpaceX, were initially set to expire at the end of 2026 but will now be extended to the station’s end-of-life.

The decision, documented in NASA procurement filings on November 8, underscores the agency’s reliance on these companies as the only certified providers currently able to meet its cargo resupply requirements.

"There are no other CRS-2 certified visiting vehicles in the current marketplace for providing cargo resupply to the ISS...Extension of the existing contracts is the most effective means of ensuring continued provision of these services for the extended duration of the ISS." - NASA Document

The CRS-2 contracts, awarded to the three companies in 2016, provide critical support for ongoing ISS operations, which are expected to continue until the station's deorbit in 2030.

NASA Considers New Cargo Supply Service Contacters

NASA had signaled its intent to extend these contracts in March 2023, alongside a formal request for information from other companies capable of providing comparable services. Three companies responded, but none were able to meet the stringent requirements for ISS cargo delivery.

Among the respondents was Gravitics, a U.S.-based company developing StarMax, a modular component for future commercial space stations. NASA’s document noted, “The response does not provide a description of an end-to-end cargo service capable of reaching, attaching, and departing the ISS, but suggests a next-generation launch vehicle could get it to low Earth orbit.” Details on StarMax and Gravitics' proposal were largely redacted in the publicly available document.

A second response was received from The Exploration Company, a Munich-based European startup that specializes in cargo-return spacecraft development. However, federal law stipulates that contractors for CRS-2 must qualify as “United States commercial providers,” which the startup does not. NASA cited this and other legal limitations: “The 20-month-old company based in Munich, Germany does not meet this nor the other restrictions in the CRS-2 contract regarding certain foreign purchases and export control.”

The third company to respond, GEPA Logistics, a British provider of land, sea, and air cargo transportation, was also deemed unable to meet NASA's requirements. “GEPA Logistics’ capabilities statement lacked any description of a spaceflight capability that would provide end-to-end cargo services with low Earth orbit capability to the ISS,” NASA stated.

ESA Working Own Cargo Resupply Missions

Though NASA ultimately declined all three proposals, The Exploration Company remains a potential future provider. In May, the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded the startup a study contract alongside Thales Alenia Space as part of its own commercial cargo initiative, which aims for a demonstration mission to the ISS by 2028.

CRS-2 Contract Costs

NASA also provided insights into the financial scope of the CRS-2 contracts, which collectively have a not-to-exceed value of $14 billion. Extending the contracts through 2030 will remain within this financial cap, although NASA redacted the exact funding spent so far.

Publicly available federal procurement data reveals that NASA has allocated $2.7 billion to Northrop Grumman, $1.4 billion to Sierra Space, and $2.8 billion to SpaceX, amounting to a total of $6.9 billion across the three companies.

The continuation of the CRS-2 contracts ensures that the ISS will be sustained by reliable resupply capabilities through its final years, facilitating ongoing research and international collaboration aboard the orbital outpost.