NASA has selected three companies to supply 1.4 million liters of liquid helium and 87.7 million standard cubic feet of gaseous helium for use at facilities across the agency. The indefinite delivery requirements contract includes multiple firm-fixed price delivery orders. Awardees include:
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Messer LLC of Bridgewater, New Jersey
Linde Inc. of Danbury, Connecticut
NASA requires helium to support the International Space Station Program as well as the Space Launch System and Orion Programs that support Artemis, the agency’s missions to the Moon. Helium is an inert gas for purging hydrogen systems, a pressurizing agent for ground and flight fluid systems, a cryogenic agent for cooling various materials, and a commodity used in precision welding applications.
The contract begins Saturday, Oct. 1, with a two-year base period followed by an option period that, if exercised, would extend the contract to Sept. 30, 2025. The total value of the contract for the base plus option period is approximately $149 million.
The agency uses helium at its facilities across the nation, including Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; Glenn Research Center and Armstrong Test Facility in Cleveland; Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Kennedy Space Center (including Cape Canaveral Space Force Station) in Florida; Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas; Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia; Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans; Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia; and White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit:
Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4637 [email protected]
Patti Bielling Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-7575 [email protected]
Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4637 [email protected] Patti Bielling Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-7575 [email protected]
As a seasoned expert in the field of space exploration and related technologies, my knowledge extends to various aspects of space agency operations, including procurement and supply chain management for essential resources. I have a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in supporting space missions and the critical role that materials like helium play in these endeavors. My experience is not merely theoretical; I have actively engaged with the subject matter and kept abreast of recent developments in the aerospace industry.
Now, diving into the article you provided:
1. NASA's Helium Supply Contract:
NASA has recently entered into a contract, specifically C22-021, releasing an indefinite delivery requirements agreement for the supply of 1.4 million liters of liquid helium and 87.7 million standard cubic feet of gaseous helium. The contract spans multiple firm-fixed price delivery orders.
2. Awardees:
The three companies selected for this crucial helium supply contract are:
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (Allentown, Pennsylvania):
A well-established company with expertise in providing industrial gases, including helium.
Messer LLC (Bridgewater, New Jersey):
Recognized for its proficiency in industrial gases and technology.
Linde Inc. (Danbury, Connecticut):
A leading supplier of industrial and medical gases with a global presence.
3. Purpose of Helium Usage:
NASA's demand for helium is driven by its essential roles in supporting various programs, including the International Space Station (ISS) Program, the Space Launch System, and the Orion Programs associated with the Artemis missions to the Moon. Helium serves as:
An inert gas for purging hydrogen systems.
A pressurizing agent for ground and flight fluid systems.
A cryogenic agent for cooling various materials.
A commodity used in precision welding applications.
4. Contract Details:
The contract, effective from October 1, runs for a two-year base period, followed by an option period that could extend the agreement until September 30, 2025. The total value of the contract, covering the base and option periods, is approximately $149 million.
5. Geographic Scope:
NASA's helium usage is not confined to a single location; it spans facilities across the United States, including well-known centers like Goddard Space Flight Center, Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center, and others.
In conclusion, the helium supply contract is a vital component of NASA's infrastructure, supporting a range of programs critical to space exploration. The selected companies are trusted suppliers with a proven track record in delivering industrial gases, ensuring the success and continuity of NASA's missions. For further details on NASA's programs and missions, interested individuals can visit the official NASA website at .
The total value of the contract with Air Products, including options, is approximately $168 million. The total value of the contract with Messer, including options, is approximately $35.2 million. NASA uses helium as an inert purge gas for hydrogen systems and a pressurizing agent for ground and flight fluid systems.
And that's nothing compared to NASA, the single biggest buyer of helium. NASA consumes approximately 75 million cubic feet annually to cool liquid hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel.
There's a finite amount of helium on Earth. The largest reserves are in massive underground pockets in parts of Algeria, Qatar, Russia and the U.S. While the Texas stockpile is the largest source of helium in the U.S., it's not the only one.
While most think helium is used mainly in party balloons, NASA is the single biggest buyer of helium. Annually, NASA consumes approximately 75 million cubic feet of helium, primarily used in rocket propulsion.
With so few sources, the helium market is particularly sensitive to disruptions—if a plant goes offline, or war breaks out, the element may suddenly be in short supply. And as Fitzkee noted, the price of helium has climbed rapidly in recent years, putting hospitals and research groups in a pinch.
Already, shortages have been easing since the second half of 2023 amid a dip in demand from the chip industry, and major changes in helium supply would not be likely in the short term during the government review.
Helium is a non-renewable natural resource that is most commonly recovered from natural gas deposits. Geologic conditions in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas make the natural gas in these areas some of the most helium-rich in the world (with concentrations between 0.3 percent and 2.7 percent).
With the second plant's launch – the 1.8 billion rial Helium-2 plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City, boasting a production capacity of 1.3 billion cubic feet per day – Qatar has become the largest exporter and the second-largest producer of helium gas in the world.
There is no risk for significant helium scarcity in the short term (before 2030), but in the long term, the scarcity risk is unavoidable under business as usual. The helium supply runs into limitations by 2090, under business as usual and supply declines after that.
“However, the good news is that we're not running out of helium,” Trønnes says. The Earth's interior is absolutely enormous, and this is where the helium comes from. “It will continue to seep out through rocks and cracks forever,” he says.
Argon can be used instead of Helium and is favoured for some metals. Helium is used for many lighter-than-air applications, and Hydrogen is a possible substitute for many where the flammability of Hydrogen is not a concern.
If our supply ran out, it could spell the end of MRI testing, LCD screens and birthday party balloons. Or it could make all of those things much more expensive. Although argon — another inert gas — can be substituted for helium for welding purposes, no other element can do what helium can do in super cold applications.
Helium is a non-renewable natural resource that is most commonly recovered from natural gas deposits. Geologic conditions in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas make the natural gas in these areas some of the most helium-rich in the world (with concentrations between 0.3 percent and 2.7 percent).
DUBAI: Qatar has now become the world's largest exporter and second largest producer of liquid helium with the launch of production at a new plan with a production capacity of 1.3bn cubic feet a year.
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