A US space mission just bought a risk assessment for half a million dollars

The Rosalind Franklin Mission, a US space project, just awarded a contract for a launch vehicle risk assessment. This means the mission is moving forward with detailed planning for its rocket launch.

This is a small, concrete step in the long process of getting a space mission off the ground. Before a rocket can launch, every part of the process, including the vehicle itself, must be assessed for potential failures. This contract shows the mission is past the early planning stages and is now dealing with the practicalities of launch.