diff --git a/DECISIONS.md b/DECISIONS.md
index 73c6f77..74a8559 100644
--- a/DECISIONS.md
+++ b/DECISIONS.md
@@ -313,3 +313,10 @@ Implementation decisions not spelled out in `memory-bank/implementation-plan.md`
 - **Discovered locations are read only when a board is first generated** (inside the generator callback), so a discovery later in the period does not change the stored board (decision 0.5.5).
 - **Older periods' boards are never shown**: the endpoint always uses the current period index. Stored older boards stay in the database until Phase 7's cleanup, so that dispatching from one returns `contract-expired` instead of "unknown contract".
 - **The plan's "dispatching from an old board fails as expired" check is tested in Step 6.10**, once contract dispatch exists.
+
+## Step 6.10
+
+- **A contract must be on one of the player's stored bay boards** (any period). Once found, sim validation decides; an older board's contract fails with `contract-expired`.
+- **Ships and pilots must belong to the player** (`404 not-found`) before sim validation runs. An in-flight ship's missing location is passed to sim as an empty string; sim reports `ship-not-idle` first anyway.
+- **`cannot-land` is tested with a test-only vacuum ship** added by mocking `@deadhead/content` in its own test file, since every base-game ship is atmospheric (decision 0.5.1).
+- **Failure tests check that nothing changed:** no dispatch row, no accepted contract, credits untouched.
diff --git a/apps/server/src/game/dispatch.ts b/apps/server/src/game/dispatch.ts
index ca11ffc..e664085 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/game/dispatch.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/game/dispatch.ts
@@ -20,11 +20,14 @@ import {
   dispatches,
   pilots,
   players,
+  ships,
 } from "../db/schema";
 import { gameError } from "../http/errors";
 import { acceptedContractIds } from "./boards";
+import { requireCompany, requirePlayer } from "./fleet";
 import { toApiDispatch } from "./mappers";
 import { VALIDATION_MESSAGES } from "./messages";
+import { requireOwnPilot, requireOwnShip } from "./pilots";
 
 /** The id the tutorial loaner uses in dispatch records (it is not a ship row). */
 export const LOANER_SHIP_ID = "loaner";
@@ -185,3 +188,57 @@ export async function dispatchTutorial(
     .where(eq(pilots.id, avatar.id));
   return dispatch;
 }
+
+export function shipState(row: typeof ships.$inferSelect): ShipState {
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    modelId: row.modelId,
+    // An in-flight ship has no location; validation reports it as not idle first.
+    locationId: row.locationId ?? "",
+    inFlight: row.status === "in_flight",
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Dispatches an owned ship and its pilot on a bay-board contract (Step 6.10):
+ * sim validation, fuel charged, contract accepted, ship and pilot in flight.
+ */
+export async function dispatchContract(
+  tx: Queryable,
+  playerId: string,
+  input: { contractId: string; shipId: string; pilotId: string },
+  now: RealTime,
+): Promise<Dispatch> {
+  const { contract, periodIndex } = await claimableContract(tx, playerId, "bay", input.contractId);
+  const ship = await requireOwnShip(tx, playerId, input.shipId);
+  const pilot = await requireOwnPilot(tx, playerId, input.pilotId);
+  const player = await requirePlayer(tx, playerId);
+  const company = await requireCompany(tx, playerId);
+
+  const proposal = {
+    ship: shipState(ship),
+    pilot: pilotState(pilot),
+    contract,
+    tutorial: false,
+    credits: company.credits,
+    now,
+  };
+  const check = validateDispatch(proposal, content);
+  if (!check.ok) throw gameError(check.reason, VALIDATION_MESSAGES[check.reason]);
+
+  const record = createDispatchRecord(
+    { id: randomUUID(), ...proposal, worldSeed: player.worldSeed },
+    content,
+  );
+  const dispatch = await storeDispatch(tx, { playerId, record, shipId: ship.id, periodIndex, now });
+  await setInFlight(tx, ship.id, pilot.id);
+  return dispatch;
+}
+
+export async function setInFlight(tx: Queryable, shipId: string, pilotId: string) {
+  await tx.update(ships).set({ status: "in_flight", locationId: null }).where(eq(ships.id, shipId));
+  await tx
+    .update(pilots)
+    .set({ status: "in_flight", locationId: null })
+    .where(eq(pilots.id, pilotId));
+}
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/dispatches.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/dispatches.ts
index 64e48d9..80bc6bb 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/dispatches.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/dispatches.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { routes } from "@deadhead/schema";
 import type { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
-import { dispatchTutorial } from "../game/dispatch";
+import { dispatchContract, dispatchTutorial } from "../game/dispatch";
 import { gameError } from "../http/errors";
 import { registerRoute } from "../http/route";
 import type { AppContext } from "./context";
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export function registerDispatchRoutes(app: FastifyInstance, ctx: AppContext): v
   registerRoute(app, routes.createDispatch, ctx.options, async (input, { playerId }) =>
     withPlayer(ctx, playerId, async (tx, now) => {
       switch (input.kind) {
+        case "contract":
+          return { dispatch: await dispatchContract(tx, playerId, input, now) };
         case "tutorial":
           return { dispatch: await dispatchTutorial(tx, playerId, input.contractId, now) };
         default:
diff --git a/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch-landing.test.ts b/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch-landing.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3199313
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch-landing.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { errorResponseSchema } from "@deadhead/schema";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { dispatches, pilots, ships } from "../src/db/schema";
+import { makeOwner, setCredits, TEST_NOW, useTestDatabase } from "./db";
+import { call, putBoard, signUp, testContract, useTestApp } from "./game";
+
+// Every base-game ship is atmospheric (decision 0.5.1), so `cannot-land` needs
+// a test-only vacuum ship in the content the server sees.
+vi.mock("@deadhead/content", async (importOriginal) => {
+  const original = await importOriginal<typeof import("@deadhead/content")>();
+  const courier = original.content.shipModel("courier")!;
+  const shipModels = [
+    ...original.content.shipModels,
+    { ...courier, id: "test-vacuum", landingClass: "vacuum" as const },
+  ];
+  return {
+    ...original,
+    content: {
+      ...original.content,
+      shipModels,
+      shipModel: (id: string) => shipModels.find((s) => s.id === id),
+    },
+  };
+});
+
+const database = useTestDatabase();
+const testApp = useTestApp(database);
+
+describe("contract dispatch landing check", () => {
+  it("rejects cannot-land and changes nothing", async () => {
+    const { app } = testApp();
+    const { db } = database();
+    const guest = await signUp(app);
+    await makeOwner(db, guest.playerId, guest.avatarId);
+    await setCredits(db, guest.playerId, 10_000);
+
+    // A vacuum-only ship at the Moon, crewed by a pilot, offered a Moon→Earth job.
+    const shipId = randomUUID();
+    await db.insert(ships).values({
+      id: shipId,
+      playerId: guest.playerId,
+      modelId: "test-vacuum",
+      name: "Moon Crawler",
+      locationId: "moon",
+      createdAt: TEST_NOW,
+    });
+    const pilotId = randomUUID();
+    await db.insert(pilots).values({
+      id: pilotId,
+      playerId: guest.playerId,
+      name: "Vac Pilot",
+      assignedShipId: shipId,
+      createdAt: TEST_NOW,
+    });
+    const contract = testContract({ originId: "moon", destinationId: "earth" });
+    await putBoard(db, guest.playerId, [contract]);
+
+    const response = await call(app, guest, "POST", "/api/dispatches", {
+      kind: "contract",
+      contractId: contract.id,
+      shipId,
+      pilotId,
+    });
+    expect(response.statusCode).toBe(409);
+    expect(errorResponseSchema.parse(response.json()).error.code).toBe("cannot-land");
+    expect(await db.select().from(dispatches)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch.test.ts b/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6491921
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/test/contract-dispatch.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
+import { content } from "@deadhead/content";
+import {
+  contractBoardResponseSchema,
+  dispatchResponseSchema,
+  errorResponseSchema,
+} from "@deadhead/schema";
+import { boardPeriodMs } from "@deadhead/sim";
+import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { acceptedContracts, companies, dispatches, pilots, ships } from "../src/db/schema";
+import { makeOwner, setCredits, TEST_NOW, useTestDatabase } from "./db";
+import { call, getState, putBoard, signUp, testContract, useTestApp, type Guest } from "./game";
+
+const database = useTestDatabase();
+const testApp = useTestApp(database);
+
+const errorCode = (response: { json(): unknown }) =>
+  errorResponseSchema.parse(response.json()).error.code;
+
+interface Owner {
+  guest: Guest;
+  shipId: string;
+}
+
+/** An owner with a crewed Courier at Earth, an Earth bay and 10,000 credits. */
+async function owner(): Promise<Owner> {
+  const guest = await signUp(testApp().app);
+  const shipId = await makeOwner(database().db, guest.playerId, guest.avatarId);
+  await setCredits(database().db, guest.playerId, 10_000);
+  return { guest, shipId };
+}
+
+function dispatch(
+  o: Owner,
+  contractId: string,
+  overrides: { shipId?: string; pilotId?: string } = {},
+) {
+  return call(testApp().app, o.guest, "POST", "/api/dispatches", {
+    kind: "contract",
+    contractId,
+    shipId: overrides.shipId ?? o.shipId,
+    pilotId: overrides.pilotId ?? o.guest.avatarId,
+  });
+}
+
+/** Asserts the request failed with `code` and changed nothing. */
+async function expectRejected(
+  o: Owner,
+  response: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof dispatch>>,
+  code: string,
+) {
+  expect(response.statusCode).toBe(409);
+  expect(errorCode(response)).toBe(code);
+  const { db } = database();
+  expect(
+    await db.select().from(dispatches).where(eq(dispatches.playerId, o.guest.playerId)),
+  ).toEqual([]);
+  expect(await db.select().from(acceptedContracts)).toEqual([]);
+  const [company] = await db
+    .select()
+    .from(companies)
+    .where(eq(companies.playerId, o.guest.playerId));
+  expect(company!.credits).toBe(10_000);
+}
+
+describe("contract dispatch", () => {
+  it("dispatches, charges fuel, stores the record and removes the contract from the board", async () => {
+    const { app, clock } = testApp();
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+
+    const response = await dispatch(o, contract.id);
+    expect(response.statusCode).toBe(200);
+    const record = dispatchResponseSchema.parse(response.json()).dispatch;
+    expect(record).toMatchObject({
+      status: "in-flight",
+      shipId: o.shipId,
+      pilotId: o.guest.avatarId,
+      departureAt: clock.now,
+      expectedPayout: contract.payout,
+      tutorial: false,
+    });
+    expect(record.fuelCost).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    const state = await getState(app, o.guest);
+    expect(state.company.credits).toBe(10_000 - record.fuelCost);
+    expect(state.ships[0]).toMatchObject({ status: "in-flight", dispatchId: record.id });
+    expect(state.pilots[0]!.status).toBe("in-flight");
+    const board = contractBoardResponseSchema.parse(
+      (await call(app, o.guest, "GET", "/api/bays/earth/board")).json(),
+    );
+    expect(board.contracts).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects ship-not-idle", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await database().db.update(ships).set({ status: "in_flight" }).where(eq(ships.id, o.shipId));
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "ship-not-idle");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects ship-not-at-origin", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract({ originId: "moon", destinationId: "earth" });
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "ship-not-at-origin");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects pilot-not-idle", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await database()
+      .db.update(pilots)
+      .set({ status: "in_flight" })
+      .where(eq(pilots.id, o.guest.avatarId));
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "pilot-not-idle");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects pilot-not-assigned", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    const otherPilotId = randomUUID();
+    await database().db.insert(pilots).values({
+      id: otherPilotId,
+      playerId: o.guest.playerId,
+      name: "Spare Pilot",
+      locationId: "earth",
+      createdAt: TEST_NOW,
+    });
+    await expectRejected(
+      o,
+      await dispatch(o, contract.id, { pilotId: otherPilotId }),
+      "pilot-not-assigned",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("rejects over-capacity", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract({ massTonnes: 50 });
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "over-capacity");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects out-of-range", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract({ destinationId: "mars" });
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "out-of-range");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects cargo-skill-too-low", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract({
+      cargoTypeId: "heavy",
+      tier: 2,
+      requiredSkill: { skillId: "heavy-cargo", level: 2 },
+    });
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "cargo-skill-too-low");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects long-haul-too-low", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract({ requiredLongHaulLevel: 1 });
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "long-haul-too-low");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects contract-expired once the board's period has rolled over", async () => {
+    const { clock } = testApp();
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    // The contract expires at the end of its board period (TEST_NOW is a period start).
+    expect(contract.expiresAt).toBe(TEST_NOW + boardPeriodMs(content.config));
+    clock.now = contract.expiresAt;
+    await expectRejected(o, await dispatch(o, contract.id), "contract-expired");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects insufficient-credits", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    await setCredits(database().db, o.guest.playerId, 0);
+    const response = await dispatch(o, contract.id);
+    expect(errorCode(response)).toBe("insufficient-credits");
+    expect(await database().db.select().from(dispatches)).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects an unknown contract and a contract taken twice", async () => {
+    const o = await owner();
+    const contract = testContract();
+    await putBoard(database().db, o.guest.playerId, [contract]);
+    expect((await dispatch(o, "earth:0:99")).statusCode).toBe(404);
+    expect((await dispatch(o, contract.id)).statusCode).toBe(200);
+    expect(errorCode(await dispatch(o, contract.id))).toBe("contract-already-accepted");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/test/game.ts b/apps/server/test/game.ts
index 3d0eba0..7e55672 100644
--- a/apps/server/test/game.ts
+++ b/apps/server/test/game.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
 import { content } from "@deadhead/content";
 import { createGuestResponseSchema, playerStateSchema, type PlayerState } from "@deadhead/schema";
 import {
+  boardPeriodIndex,
   createDispatchRecord,
   createRepositionRecord,
   type Contract,
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
 import { afterEach, beforeEach } from "vitest";
 import { buildApp } from "../src/app";
 import type { Database, Db } from "../src/db/client";
-import { dispatches, pilots, players, ships } from "../src/db/schema";
+import { contractBoards, dispatches, pilots, players, ships } from "../src/db/schema";
 import { TEST_NOW } from "./db";
 import { testConfig } from "./helpers";
 
@@ -176,3 +177,16 @@ export async function insertDispatch(
   await db.update(pilots).set({ status: "in_flight" }).where(eq(pilots.id, pilot!.id));
   return record;
 }
+
+/** Stores a hand-made Earth bay board for the current period. */
+export async function putBoard(db: Db, playerId: string, contracts: Contract[], now = TEST_NOW) {
+  await db.insert(contractBoards).values({
+    id: randomUUID(),
+    playerId,
+    kind: "bay",
+    locationId: "earth",
+    periodIndex: boardPeriodIndex(now, content.config),
+    contracts,
+    createdAt: now,
+  });
+}
diff --git a/memory-bank/progress.md b/memory-bank/progress.md
index c8d8502..6956594 100644
--- a/memory-bank/progress.md
+++ b/memory-bank/progress.md
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 - [x] **Step 6.7 — End tutorial.** `maybeEndTutorial` (`src/game/tutorial.ts`) runs after each resolution pass and after every game action: with a ship, an Earth bay and no tutorial run in flight, tutorial mode turns off, the loaner is removed, and the avatar becomes an idle, unassigned pilot at Earth.
 - [x] **Step 6.8 — Hire and assign pilots.** `POST /api/pilots`, `/api/pilots/:pilotId/assign`, `/api/pilots/:pilotId/unassign` (`src/game/pilots.ts`): hire at a bay for the fee with a seeded name; assign to an idle, uncrewed ship at the same location; unassign only at a bay. New error code `avatar-in-tutorial`.
 - [x] **Step 6.9 — Bay contract board endpoint.** `GET /api/bays/:locationId/board` (`bayBoard` in `src/game/boards.ts`): generated from the discovered set on first request in a period and stored; accepted contracts hidden; `409 no-bay-at-location` without a bay. The expired-old-board dispatch check is tested in Step 6.10.
-- [ ] Step 6.10 — Contract dispatch
+- [x] **Step 6.10 — Contract dispatch.** `POST /api/dispatches` with `kind: "contract"` (`dispatchContract`): sim validation, fuel deducted, contract accepted, ship and pilot in flight. One integration test per sim reason (`cannot-land` via a test-only vacuum ship in mocked content), each checking nothing changed; also covers the expired-old-board case from Step 6.9.
 - [ ] Step 6.11 — Reposition dispatch
 - [ ] Step 6.12 — Spend skill points
 - [ ] Step 6.13 — Acknowledge summaries