Lockheed Martin received one of four contracts from the U.S. Air Force to develop concepts for a hybrid launch vehicle with a reusable first-stage booster and an expendable upper state, the company announced May 8. The Hybrid Launch Vehicle Studies and Analysis program is part of the Air Force’s Operationally Responsive Space initiative.

Under the contract from the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., Lockheed Martin Space Systems will develop conceptual designs, a subscale demonstrator and related ground hardware and infrastructure for a hybrid launch vehicle. Air Force requirements call for a vehicle capable of lofting 10,000 to 15,000 pounds into orbit, and the reusable booster must be ready to launch again in 24 to 48 hours.

The contract has a base value of $1.2 million for a period of 14 months and includes a six-month, $1.3 million option. The Air Force intends to select a pair of companies to design subscale demonstrators beginning in fiscal year 2007 and the winner of the competition is expected to have a full-scale vehicle ready to begin operations by 2018.