NASA enlists key industrial helium producers for helium provision
NASA Signs Liquid Helium Contracts with Industrial Gas Majors
NASA has recently signed liquid helium supply contracts with three industrial gas majors: Messer, Linde, and Airgas, an Air Liquide company. The combined value of these contracts is approximately $105.1 million.
The contracts will extend until September 2027, and each one includes three one-year option periods that could extend the supply to 2030. The exact duration of the supply arrangement, however, is not specified.
The contracts do not disclose any financial details beyond the initial $105.1 million value, and they do not mention any specific changes in the quantity of liquid helium or gaseous helium to be supplied. However, it is estimated that the supply will result in the delivery of around 2.6 million litres of liquid helium and 90.6 million standard cubic feet of gaseous helium.
The supply will be distributed to multiple NASA centers across the United States, supporting a range of activities. At Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, for instance, NASA uses bulk liquid helium for purging hydrogen systems, as a pressurising agent, and for cryogenic cooling. Helium is also crucial for spacecraft and rocket processing and launch operations.
The exact purpose of the liquid helium and gaseous helium in these contracts is not mentioned. However, it is known that the supply will support NASA's missions to the Moon and Mars through the Artemis programmes.
It is important to note that the contracts do not disclose any details about the terms and conditions, nor do they specify the exact purpose of the liquid helium for each specific NASA programme. Moreover, there are no publicly available search results specifying which companies will supply liquid helium to NASA from September 2027 to at least 2030.
Air Liquide is the parent company of Airgas, and Messer, Linde, and Airgas are industrial gas majors. The importance of these companies in the supply of helium to NASA is significant, given the critical role helium plays in the organisation's space missions.
In conclusion, while the details of the contracts are not fully disclosed, it is clear that these agreements are crucial for NASA's future space missions, particularly those under the Artemis programmes. The supply of liquid helium and gaseous helium will support NASA's efforts to explore the Moon and Mars, ensuring the success of these ambitious missions.
