Kratos, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Corvid Technologies Join SSC’s Sounding Rocket Program-4

The U.S. Space Systems Command has awarded Kratos Space & Missile Defense Systems, Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace and Corvid Technologies positions on the Sounding Rocket Program-4 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

The new contractors will have the chance to compete for suborbital launch and launch support service task orders at their facilities or government-operated locations. The three companies join incumbent companies Space Vector and Northrop Grumman in building sounding rockets, small test vehicles that carry scientific payloads that perform space-based tasks for minutes at a time. 

The SRP-4 program was extended to 2029 and had its value increased to $877 million, SpaceNews reported.

Other companies have also won sounding rocket-related contracts over the last 12 months.

In July, Peraton secured NASA’s potential five-year, $330.3 million Sounding Rocket Operations IV contract, tasked with performing payload design, fabrication and integration activities; conducting flight qualification testing; and providing launch services, components and related services. The contract is a follow-up to the NSROC III contract, which Northrop Grumman’s innovation systems business, then called Orbital ATK, won in 2016.