Jim Cast                                    June 23, 1995
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone:  202/358-1779)

Brian Dunbar
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone:  202/358-0873)

RELEASE:  95-101

NASA FORMS TASK TEAMS TO REVIEW SPACE ACCESS
OPTIONS FOLLOWING LOSS OF PEGASUS LAUNCH VEHICLE

     NASA is forming several task teams to address all 
aspects of its strategy for access to space following the 
latest failure of an Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus launch 
vehicle carrying a U.S. Air Force payload on June 22.

     The task teams will review near term recovery for 
Pegasus-related missions already in the inventory, as well as 
long term issues associated with next generation launch 
vehicles.  The review effort is being organized by Associate 
Deputy Administrator Michael I. Mott.

     "NASA sees a serious shortage over the next few years of 
small launch vehicle support for its scientific missions," 
said Dr. John E. Mansfield, Associate Administrator for Space 
Access and Technology.  "At the moment, there is a 
significant backlog of these important missions, a situation 
NASA cannot allow to continue.  These missions must have 
assured launch support."

     As part of this effort, NASA anticipates issuing a 
Request for Information (RFI) asking for expressions of 
interest from industry in providing alternate sources of 
small expendable and reusable launch vehicle services in both 
the near and long term.  NASA is interested in innovative 
technical and business approaches to ensuring that launch 
support is available when needed to carry out its missions, 
Mansfield said.

     To reach the broadest section of industry, including 
small businesses, NASA will announce its intent and the 
availability of this RFI in the Commerce Business Daily as 
soon as possible.  After analyzing NASA's requirements and 
capabilities, as well as any expressions of interest received 
as a result of the RFI, Mott will make recommendations 
concerning near and long term launch strategies, to include 
improvements appropriate to ensure more robustness, 
redundancy and flexibility.

                    	-end-