Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                       July 3, 1990
(Phone:  (202/453-8536)

Barbara Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                
(Phone:  202/453-2927)                       

Barbara Zadina
Orbital Sciences Corp., Fairfax, Va.
(Phone:  703/818-2802)


RELEASE:  90-92

NASA, ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION SIGN AGREEMENT

     NASA and Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), Fairfax, Va., 
have signed an agreement in support of the firm's Pegasus and 
Taurus commercial launch vehicle programs.

     Terms of the 5-year agreement allow OSC to enter into 
specific sub-agreements with NASA installations wherein NASA will 
provide, on a cost-reimbursable basis, access to agency launch 
support property and services.

     As part of a continuing effort to foster a strong U.S. 
commercial launch vehicle industry, government property and 
services are made available to the private sector, on a 
reimbursable basis, when such property/services cannot be 
provided by commercial sources.  Similar NASA "umbrella" 
agreements have been negotiated with four other firms:  General 
Dynamics, McDonnell Douglas, Martin Marietta and LTV Corp.  NASA 
also is conducting discussions with other U.S. expendable launch 
vehicle firms for possible support agreements.  NASA 
installations which are involved in specific sub-agreements with 
companies include the Kennedy, Lewis, Goddard and Marshall 
Centers.

     NASA is committed to facilitating and encouraging the 
commercial use of space by U.S. firms.  The Commercial Space Act 
and its 1988 amendment, as well as the National Space Policy of 
November 1989, underscore the importance of government support to 
the emerging American commercial launch vehicle industry.

                            - end -


TO:  MDS/PRA Group
     1615 L Street, N.W. - Suite 100
     Washington, D.C. 20036

DATE & TIME:  JULY 6, 1990

ORDERED BY:  Edward Campion
NASA Headquarters/LMD
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20546             PHONE:  202/453-8400

PROJECT TITLE:  Release No:  90-092

PRINT ORDER:  2279

PRINTING:  Camera Ready, lst pg on NASA logo, other pages plain

ENCLOSE & MAIL:  Release of 1 page

MAIL DATE:  JULY 9, 1990

EXTRA COPIES:    Deliver specified quanities to locations below:

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National Press Club      NASA Mailroom           NASA Newsroom
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National Press Building  600 Independ. Ave, SW   400 Maryland Ave, SW
529 14th Street, NW      Room A16                Room 6043
Washington, DC 20045     Washington, DC 20546    Washington, DC 20546


MEDIA SUMMARY OPTION:  Name-by-name media summary - 1 copy

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