Hydrogen Production Secured: NASA Awards 36.9M-lb Liquid Hydrogen Contracts to Air Products & Plug Power

NASA has just locked in nearly 37 million pounds of liquid hydrogen across six key flight and research centers, handing out firm-fixed-price contracts to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Plug Power, Inc.. These agreements, running from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2030, guarantee the fuel that powers cryogenic rocket engines and fuels vital aeronautics R&D.

Numbers at a Glance

• Overall volume: 36,952,000 lbs of liquid hydrogen
• Total contract value: roughly $147.2 million
• Air Products: up to 36.5 million lbs for Kennedy Space Center (FL), Cape Canaveral SFS (FL), Marshall Space Flight Center (AL) and Stennis Space Center (MS)
• Plug Power: up to 480,000 lbs for Glenn Research Center and Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility (OH), at about $2.8 million

Strategic Takeaways

By locking in multi-year, firm-fixed-price deals, NASA smooths out its hydrogen production pipeline—crucial for upcoming lunar and Martian missions. Splitting volumes between two suppliers not only hedges risk but also keeps prices and performance sharp.

These contracts dovetail with broader federal pushes toward sustainable energy and beefed-up hydrogen infrastructure. For Air Products, it’s a natural continuation of a relationship dating back to Apollo. For Plug Power, it’s a chance to dive deeper into aerospace fueling after breakthroughs in green hydrogen plants.

Historical Perspective

Liquid hydrogen has been at the heart of NASA’s missions since the 1960s—from powering the Saturn V to firing up the Space Shuttle’s main engines. Air Products first delivered H₂ during Apollo, building out cryogenic tank farms nationwide. The arrival of fast-growing Plug Power underlines how hydrogen storage and supply chains are diversifying and maturing.

Looking Ahead

Securing this volume through 2030 means rocket fueling, propulsion tests and aeronautics experiments won’t miss a beat. It also underscores U.S. leadership in clean ammonia and hydrogen tech—spillovers that could lower costs for industrial decarbonization and zero-emission transport. Yet challenges remain: cryogenic logistics, purity standards and scaling green hydrogen output will demand relentless innovation. As NASA readies for its next wave of exploration, hydrogen producers must keep pace—or risk leaving rockets on the pad.