Lofty Costs Push NASA Toward ULA Centaur V; Army Awards Lockheed Martin $26M
NASA is evaluating ULA’s Centaur V for upcoming Artemis missions after Boeing’s $2.8 billion Exploration Upper Stage suffered delays and cost overruns. The U.S. Army awarded Anduril $99.6 million and Lockheed Martin $26 million for Next Generation Command and Control prototype systems.
1. NASA Considers Centaur V for Artemis Missions
Boeing’s Exploration Upper Stage for the Space Launch System has experienced schedule slips and cost overruns exceeding $2.8 billion, prompting NASA to explore replacing it with ULA’s Centaur V upper stage. Centaur V uses the same liquid hydrogen and oxygen propellant as the SLS stage, and NASA aims to standardize hardware for Artemis IV, which will now carry the landing mission.
2. Army Awards Next Generation Command and Control Prototypes
Under the Next Generation Command and Control program, the U.S. Army granted Anduril a $99.6 million, 11-month prototype development contract, while Lockheed Martin secured a $26 million, 16-month award. Anduril’s larger allotment reflects the Army’s preference for accelerated prototyping, leaving Lockheed Martin positioned to refine its C2 architecture for future phases.