NASA's second heavy-lift rocket mobile launcher to be designed by Bechtel team
NewsJune 28, 2019
RESTON, Va. Bechtel National Inc. announced today it has been selected by NASA to return to the Space Coast in Florida and the space and launch infrastructure market along with teaming subcontractors to design, build, test, and commission Mobile Launcher 2.
Mobile Launcher 2 is the ground structure that will be used to assemble and launch the next version of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. SLS could one day take materials and astronauts to the Moon or Mars.
The cost-plus-award-fee contract carries an estimated value of approximately $383 million with a term of 44 months. Teaming with Bechtel are GP Strategies Inc., Astro Pak Corporation, BRPH Architects-Engineers, Inc. and Cimarron Software Services, Inc.
The 380-foot tall launcher, known as ML2, will consist of the launch platform and physical connections to NASA’s ground infrastructure to provide stability, power, coolant, fuel, and communications prior to launch. ML2 must also interface with the Vehicle Assembly Building and a massive crawler to move the rocket to its launch location at NASA’s Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center.
