khayo@sonia.math.ucla.edu (Eric Behr) (05/26/88)
===========================================================================
COMMERCIAL LAUNCH SERVICES CONTRACT AWARDED GENERAL DYNAMICS
May 23, 1988
RELEASE: 88-66
NASA and the Department of Commerce have awarded a firm,
fixed-price, $200,236,553 contract to General Dynamics Space
Systems Division, San Diego, Calif., for expendable launch
vehicle (ELV) transportation services for the Department's
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Consistent with the provisions of the President's recent
National Space Policy, this contract is the first U.S. Government
procurement of commercial launch transportation services and
ushers in a new era in the commercialization of space.
Under this initial, multi-year contract, General Dynamics
will supply Atlas/Centaur launch transportation services for
NOAA's new family of Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellites (GOES) I, J and K, with an option of $103,700,000,
subject to appropriate economic price adjustment, for GOES L and
M. NASA's Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, will manage the
contract.
In a joint statement, NASA's Associate Administrator for
Space Flight, RADM Richard H. Truly and NOAA's Assistant
Administrator for Satellite and Information Services, Thomas N.
Pyke, Jr., said, "NASA and the Department of Commerce are proud
to make aerospace history with the initiation of commercial
launch services."
This contract marks the first time in which a contractor
will assume systems performance responsibility for overall
program and subcontractor management; vehicle design, production,
testing and vehicle-to-payload integration; mission integration;
launch services; system effectiveness; overall launch vehicle
performance; and mission success.
GOES spacecraft provide near-continuous, high-resolution
visible and infrared imaging of weather systems over large areas
of the Earth. They are especially valuable in identifying
hurricanes at an early stage and other major storms and in
providing critical data needed on a routine basis for weather
forecasting. GOES I, first of the new series of weather
satellites, is targeted for launch in March 1990.
Work will be performed at General Dynamics Space Systems
Division, San Diego, Calif., and Harlingen, Texas; the Western
Space and Missile Center, Calif.; and the Eastern Space and
Missile Center, Fla. Subcontractors to General Dynamics are:
Rockwell International, Rocketdyne Division, Canoga Park, Calif.;
United Technologies, Pratt and Whitney, West Palm Beach, Fla.;
Honeywell Inc., Avionics Division, Clearwater, Fla.; Teledyne
Systems Company, Northridge, Calif.; Gulton Data Systems
Division, Albuquerque, N.M.; and Cincinnati Electronics, Ohio.
In a related matter, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
recently has entered into an agreement with General Dynamics
which allows the company to use NASA Launch Complex 36 and
associated facilities for commercial launch operations of the
Atlas/Centaur rocket.
The agreement covers the terms and conditions for the
operation and maintenance of the facilities by General Dynamics
and the use of payload processing facilities where appropriate.
Under terms of the agreement, signed March 31, 1988, General
Dynamics agrees to pay all costs associated with facility
maintenance and operation. On April 1, 1988, General Dynamics
assumed operation of the pad.
===========================================================================
Eric