RELEASE NO: 97-134

NASA SELECTS RAPID SPACECRAFT CONTRACTORS

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, has awarded multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts for satellite core-systems to support NASA’s space science, earth science and technology needs. The awarded contracts will be open for use by all NASA Centers and other Government agencies furthering NASA’s Contract Consolidation Initiative.

"We’re really excited about the start of a revolutionary ‘new way of doing business’ in the acquisition of spacecraft which takes advantage of previous government and industry investments," said Joseph Rothenberg, Director of Goddard Space Flight Center. "This approach promises our scientific customers an opportunity for far quicker and cheaper access to space. We have already seen evidence of high demand for this service."

As NASA identifies missions, the contract holders listed below will be given an opportunity to compete for providing the spacecraft. All mission specific spacecraft will be awarded under firm fixed-price delivery orders with delivery expected between 18 and 36 months after placement of the delivery order. The placement of orders is expected to take between 30 and 90 days, improving the lead time from identification of a need to the placement of a contract to begin work toward the delivery and launch of the satellite.

The following companies were awarded contracts:

Ball Aerospace Systems Division, Boulder, Colo.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, Sunnyvale, Calif.

Orbital Sciences Corporation, Germantown, Md.

Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, Calif.

Spectrum Astro, Gilbert, Ariz.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., UK

Swales Aerospace, Beltsville, Md.

TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif.

Each contract will have a minimum value of $100,000 and a maximum value of $755 million, with a three year ordering period. The first two spacecraft delivery orders are expected to be placed in the first quarter of fiscal year 1998.

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