Jane Edwards 
NASA has awarded ARES Technical Services a potential five-year, $339.8 million contract to provide launch range operations support at the space agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
What Is the NASA Wallops Range Contract?
The agency said Tuesday the Wallops Range Contract, or WRC, has a one-year base period and four option years that could run through 2031 if exercised. The base term is expected to commence on Feb. 10.
In October 2023, NASA solicited proposals for WRC as a follow-on to the Range Operations Contract II, a five-year, $200 million contract awarded to KBR’s government services unit in 2019.
In May 2025, the agency announced plans to extend the ROC II contract for an additional six months to ensure program continuity and prevent disruption to the Wallops Range.
What Is the Scope of the Wallops Range Contract?
The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity component and gives the agency the ability to award firm-fixed-price or cost-plus-fixed-fee task orders.
Work includes launch range operations support such as telemetry, radar, logistics, tracking and communications services for orbital and suborbital rockets, satellites, aircraft, balloons, unmanned aerial systems and other flight vehicles.
The contract also covers information and computer systems services; range technology sustainment engineering services; and testing, modification and installation of communications and electronic systems at launch facilities, launch control centers and test facilities.
Apart from NASA Wallops, the vendor may provide additional support at the agency’s Bermuda Tracking Station, Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska and other temporary duty sites.
What Does ARES Technical Services Do?
ARES Technical Services is a McLean, Virginia-based space and defense company that supports federal and military agencies, including NASA, Missile Defense Agency, Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Space Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Founded in 1992, the employee-owned company provides program management, engineering, safety and mission assurance, operations, IT, integration and testing, risk management and quality assurance support for customers.
In April 2025, NASA awarded ARES the $226 million Safety and Mission Assurance Services III contract.
