NASA Issues Modification to James Webb Space Telescope Contract

NASA has issued a change order, effective Sept. 3, 2003, to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) contract with Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corporation, Space Technology (NGST) in Redondo Beach, Calif. The change order implements a re-plan to the JWST program to accommodate the planned launch date of August 2011, which was announced earlier this year.

The JWST contract was awarded to NGST on September 16, 2002. The primary goal of JWST is to observe the early universe at an age between one million and a few billion years. Under the terms of the contract, NGST is responsible for final design, fabrication, integration and testing of the JWST observatory. In addition, the contractor is responsible for launch integration, on-orbit checkout and post-launch support. The contract extends through launch plus one year.

Services will be performed at Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corporation, Space Technology in Redondo Beach, Calif. The contract type is cost-plus-incentive-fee/award fee. The change order has a not-to-exceed amount of $98 million.

More information about NASA and the James Webb Space Telescope is available at: http://jwst.nasa.gov