NASA & Space Contracts Intelligence — October 22, 2026

The $54,049,346 obligated to California Institute of Technology against a $118,850,566 base-plus-options ceiling leaves roughly $64.8M dependent on future option exercise and incremental obligations. Funding continuity through 2028-03-26 is therefore not yet locked in.

The award is cost-plus-fixed-fee, which the provided context characterizes as lower risk for the performer than fixed-price work, with the government absorbing most cost overrun exposure. The contract is not competed and has no set-aside.

Obligation is roughly 45% of the base-plus-options ceiling, with $21,670,903 outlayed to date, so continued NASA funding depends on option exercise and incremental obligations for JPL-managed GOMAP work.

Continued NASA space science R&D work under GOMAP could expand if remaining options are exercised, supporting the JPL-managed observatory program through 2028. The award does not identify any publicly traded prime contractor, limiting direct equity capture.

NASA continues to fund JPL-managed observatory and space science R&D through the $54,049,346 GOMAP delivery order with Caltech, running from 2024-02-15 to 2028-03-26. NAICS 541715 and PSC AR12 classifications confirm the work is space science and engineering R&D rather than production hardware.

{"entity" => "California Institute of Technology", "reason" => "Recipient of the $54,049,346 GOMAP delivery order with $64.8M of the ceiling unobligated, and a nonprofit performer with no public-market equity exposure.", "trigger" => "Exercise of remaining GOMAP options or incremental obligation announcements before the 2028-03-26 end date"}

{"entity" => "NASA Management Office -- JPL", "reason" => "Issuing office for the GOMAP award, and the source of future option exercise decisions that determine the remaining obligation.", "trigger" => "Option exercise decisions and any GOMAP scope or end-date modifications"}