Public Space Launch Acquisition: A Comparative Case Study

This study analyzes three commonly practiced approaches to Government acquisition of space launch services. These approaches are employed by The U.S. Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. The literature review provides a comprehensive overview of the commercial space launch industry and details critical perspectives on commercial, launch. Launch contracts which were representative of each organizations acquisition procedures were investigated and evaluated along several critical issues and elements of the space launch acquisition process. These issues included payload characteristics, government oversight, contractor incentives, insurance, liability and cost. The critical issues and elements were determined by using the Delphi method to survey 25 experts in the space launch field. Archival contractual data from the three government agencies were obtained and found many inconsistencies among the different agencies acquisition procedures. The thesis ends with a recommendation for a hybrid acquisition approach encompassing the strengths of the three cases. Space launch, Acquisition, Expendable launch vehicle, Contracting.