Launch Services Program Overview
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after liftoff from the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1 a.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. The Falcon 9 carries NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft.
NASA/Cory Huston
NASA’s Launch Service Program, or LSP, is responsible for launching uncrewed rockets delivering spacecraft that observe the Earth, visit other planets and explore the universe, ranging from weather satellites and telescopes to Mars Rovers.
Since 1998, LSP has been bringing together those with a payload needing a ride to space with launch vehicle providers. The LSP team at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center works to provide reliable, competitive and user-friendly launch services in the commercial arena to satisfy agency-wide space transportation requirements and maximize the opportunities for mission success.