Nasa has awarded Air Products over $130 million worth of liquid hydrogen contracts. Under the terms of the agreement, the industrial gas firm will supply several NASA locations, including the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

A multi-million contract already in effect is valued at around $75m. The contract, which began on December 9, 2022, includes a base period and one option period that allows the deal to extend to November 30, 2025.

Additionally, NASA granted a separate public contract with a minimum value of over $57m to supply liquid hydrogen to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Francesco Maione, President of Air Products Americas, said, “Air Products has a long history of working with NASA, stretching from the very beginning of the US space programme to the Apollo 11 Moon landing and the more recent missions to study Mars.”

Prior to the agreement to supply liquid hydrogen to NASA’s space launches, Air products has had a long-standing involvement in NASA’s engine testing program at Stennis Space Center, Johnson Space Center in Texas, as well as Marshall Space Flight Center.

NASA utilises liquid hydrogen mixed with liquid oxygen as fuel in cryogenic rocket engines.