United States, May 14 -- NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to launch the agency's Aspera mission, a SmallSat to study galaxy formation and evolution, providing new insights into how the universe works.The selection is part of NASA's Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity launch service task order awards during VADR's five-year ordering period, with a maximum total contract value of $300 million.Through the observation of ultraviolet light, Aspera will examine hot gas in the space between galaxies, called the intergalactic medium. The mission will study the inflow and outflo...