Browse > Home / Aeronautics News / Boeing Receives $650M International Space Station Contract Extension

Boeing Receives $650M International Space Station Contract Extension

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

October 1, 2008

thomas

HOUSTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)
today was awarded a $650 million sole-source contract from NASA to continue
to deliver and integrate the remaining components and software for the
International Space Station (ISS).

During the 24-month contract period that continues to Sept. 30, 2010,
Boeing expects to apply additional resources to supporting NASA on ISS
operations and sustainment as the assembly missions are completed. The
contract also provides funding for the management of a majority of ISS
subsystems and for specialized ground-based engineering work in disciplines
such as materials, electrical parts, environments and electromagnetic
effects.

The ISS is a test bed for building and maintaining large structures in
space and a laboratory for conducting science and technology research.
Structures and technologies needed for living on the moon and for Mars
exploration will be realized through experiments on the station. Space
Shuttle Endeavour will return to the ISS in November for the first of six
remaining assembly missions.

“This contract extension allows NASA and the United States to stay on
the right path to complete the station by 2010,” said Brewster Shaw, vice
president and general manager of Boeing’s Space Exploration division.
“Boeing is pleased that NASA continues to have confidence in the company’s
ability to support the agency’s exploration mission.”

As NASA’s prime ISS contractor, Boeing has had engineering
responsibility for all 18 major U.S.-built elements as well as for
integrating all elements built by international partners, such as Japan’s
Kibo Laboratory and Italy’s Harmony utility node. The team’s move into a
sustaining engineering role makes way for industry and NASA to fully
exploit the largest, most complex international scientific project in
history.

“Working with NASA, international partners and suppliers to accomplish
on-orbit assembly while contributing significantly to scientific research
has been truly amazing,” said Joy Bryant, ISS vice president and program
manager for Boeing. “Virtually all of the hardware and software on station
has been performing superbly, with better-than-expected reliability and
life spans.”

The delivery of more than 400 items on Endeavour’s STS-126 mission will
prepare the ISS for its future six-member crew and for the final major U.S.
and Boeing-built element, the Starboard 6 Truss Segment. This fourth truss
element and power module, to be delivered to the ISS in 2009, will ensure
the station has enough power to accommodate NASA’s planned science
activities and support the additional crew members.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
(http://www.boeing.com/ids/) is one of the world’s largest space and
defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven
customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer
of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense
Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

SOURCE The Boeing Company

» Próximo Post - Former British Airways Executive Agrees to Plead Guilty to Participating in Price-Fixing Conspiracy on Air Cargo Shipments
« Post Aneterior - NASA Astronauts Receive Award for Oxygen Mask Invention

Comments

¿Tiene algo que decir?

You must be logged in to post a comment.