A specialized U.S. Navy team from NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support played a vital, behind-the-scenes role in NASA’s Artemis II mission, which embarked April 1, 2026, on a new era of space exploration. The Navy Price Fighters provided critical procurement support for nearly every piece of the monumental Space Launch System, the successor to the Space Shuttle.
The Price Fighters are NAVSUP WSS's expert cadre of cost analysts whose unique insight into the defense industrial base and ability to navigate high-stakes and sole-source procurements makes them an invaluable part of the Navy and partner for agencies like NASA. This interagency support sharpens the skills necessary for their primary naval mission, reinforcing the analytical rigor required to deliver capability to the fleet and maintain warfighting readiness.
The strategic partnership with the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center began in 2012 as a means of leveraging the Navy’s deep expertise in acquisition. The Price Fighters have been an essential part of the national foundry that transforms industrial innovation into sovereign capability. Their work ensures that complex programs deliver success without sacrificing value.
The team has applied their expertise to almost every aspect of the Space Launch System including detailed proposal evaluations for the legacy RS-25 main engines manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne, from their initial Space Shuttle to Space Launch System adaptation to full production restart. They have also supported procurements for the massive Core Stages delivered by Boeing, and the replan evaluation of the Design, Development, Test, and Evaluation of the Orion space capsule.
The successful partnership on Artemis II is a testament to this unique collaboration. The Navy team is already postured to support future efforts, including the new Centaur Upper Stage, continuing to protect America’s advantage in the sea, air and even space.
NAVSUP WSS provides the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and allied forces the program and supply support for the weapon systems that keep naval forces mission ready. With locations in Norfolk, Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, and Tucson, NAVSUP WSS manages operational readiness for almost 300 deployable ships, 92 submarines, and 3,700 aircraft worldwide.