In September, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced a number of suitors for space mission contracts. The US government is the single largest investor in the space industry but cannot conduct all operations on its own. To manage their workload NASA issues contracts to smaller companies. They compete against each other for these contracts as a means to turn a profit and earn a positive reputation both within the space community and outside potential investors. These contracts can vary widely both in terms of monetary value and responsibilities.
Most recently, NASA awarded Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc. with a 600 million-dollar contract to build new engines for their Orion spacecraft. The new engines will replace the old engines and will integrate with all the systems aboard the Orion spacecraft. The contract is not exclusive to engines for the Orion spacecraft but other rocket building projects as well, should NASA find their work satisfactory. NASA has outlined the contract to begin September 21st, 2021 and end on April 23rd, 2032.
NASA has also awarded $146 million to five different companies to troubleshoot, plan, and execute the Artemis space program which intends to put people on the moon once again, according to NASA’s procurement report. This manned mission requires outside help in the planning and management of the project, hence the contract. These companies will have such tasks as new lander concepts and risk management over the next 15 months.
The five companies include:
- Blue Origin Federation of Kent, Washington, $25.6 million.
- Dynetics (a Leidos company) of Huntsville, Alabama, $40.8 million.
- Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado, $35.2 million.
- Northrop Grumman of Dulles, Virginia, $34.8 million.
- SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, $9.4 million.
Exclusively on the ground, in September NASA awarded nine companies with the responsibility of maintaining, modernizing, and developing infrastructure. With a total of $300 million, NASA needs these companies to create tailored buildings, facilities, and systems at all of their working sites around the world. Proper architectural maintenance of facilities and civil structures along with constant updates for ground support systems are some of the crucial responsibilities these companies will bear under contract.
The nine companies include:
- AECOM Technical Services Inc. of Orlando, Florida
- BPRH Architects-Engineers Inc. of Melbourne, Florida
- Jacobs of Arlington, Virginia
- The Johnson-McAdams Firm P.A. of Greenwood, Mississippi
- Jones Edmunds & Associates Inc. of Titusville, Florida
- Merrick & Company of Greenwood Village, Colorado
- Nelson Engineering Company of Merritt Island, Florida
- RS&H Inc. of Merritt Island, Florida
- TransSystem and GHD Inc. AF JV of Berkeley, California
NASA has also awarded a $8.4 million contract to Panamerica Computers of Luray, Virginia. Over the next three years, NASA will call on Panamerica Computers for oversight on the development of new software as they are needed and technical support on all their networks and computer systems.
Another large contract in the month of September was to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California, worth $152.5 million. SpaceX will be responsible for launch services of the GOES-U mission organised by NASA. The GOES-U mission is a collection of stationary weather monitoring satellites designed to record weather data and climate change.
With so many contracts being awarded by NASA, more opportunities for space exploration are being developed that can lead to breakthroughs in technology or discovery. It is also an indication that the US government plans to continue to support space exploration and the space industry will grow to include more companies and workers in the field.
Written by: Alexander Jones
October 6th 2021
Resources:
- https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-orion-main-engine-contract-for-future-artemis-missions
- https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-five-us-companies-to-mature-artemis-lander-concepts
- https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-contract-for-software-licenses-maintenance-support
- https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-goes-u-mission
