|
WASHINGTON
D.C., Oct. 5, 2006/Satnews Daily/
— NASA has announced it has entered into a five-year contract with the
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL), Laurel, Md., which
will allow for procurement up to $750 million in services for aerospace
research, development and engineering in support of the agency's
mission.
Under this contract, APL will provide NASA with expertise in space
systems engineering, systems test and evaluation, information
technology, simulation, modeling and operations analysis.
APL is one of three government or university affiliated institutions
with the capability to perform all aspects of robotic space missions.
This contract will provide a means to preserve this essential capability
at APL, consistent with NASA's evolving needs. The contract includes
extension options for up to an additional five years.
NASA said it is also extending a previous contract action with ATK
Thiokol of Brigham City, Utah, to continue design and development of the
first stage for the Ares I crew launch vehicle. The extension has a
maximum value of $35 million.
Ares I is the crew launch vehicle that will transport the Orion crew
exploration vehicle, its crew or other small cargo payloads to low-Earth
orbit. The first stage will consist of a single solid rocket booster
similar to those used on the space shuttle, but with a fifth motor
segment added. The upper stage will consist of a J-2X liquid hydrogen,
liquid oxygen engine and the associated propellant tanks and main
propulsion system.
NASA said the contract requires the design, development, test and
evaluation schedule; expedites the procurement of new nozzle metal
hardware and production tooling for propellant casting and nozzle
fabrication; and maintains the necessary design and engineering analysis
leading to a Systems Requirements Review in December 2006.
The action also provides support for an initial test flight in the
spring of 2009 known as Ares I-1. The test flight will use a simulated
fifth segment on the first stage motor and a simulated upper stage.
The contract type is cost-plus-award-fee. This modification will
increase the overall value of the existing $28 million contract action
to a total of $63 million and provide support through Dec. 31, 2006.
Recent Stories:
NASA Awards $1.1-B Space Program Contract to
United Space Alliance
Analex on Winning Team for $122 Million NASA
Contract
NASA's Earth Observing System Receives 2006 Space Systems Award
Spacehab Subsidiary Lands $9.5-M NASA
Payload Processing Contract |
