marla@ssc-vax.UUCP (Peckham) (03/16/85)
The following is a press release issued by NASA concerning the Space Station Phase B contract awards: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA News March 14, 1985 Release No: 85-38 NASA SELECTS 6 INDUSTRY TEAMS FOR SPACE STATION CONTRACTS The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has selected 6 industry teams for negotiations leading to fixed-price contracts for definition and preliminary design (Phase B) of elements of a permanently manned Space Station to be operational in low-Earth orbit by the mid 1990s. The contracts, to begin April 15, will extend for 21 months and will cover Space Station elements that have been assigned to four NASA centers. The responsible NASA center and the industry teams selected for negotiations are: MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, Huntsville, Ala. -- Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle; and Martin Marietta Aerospace, Denver. GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, Greenbelt, MD. -- RCA Astro Electronics, Princeton, NJ; and General Electric Co., Space Systems Division, Philadelphia. LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER, Cleveland -- Rockwell International, Rocketdyne Division, Canoga Park, Calif.; and TRW Federal Systems Division, Redondo Beach, Calif. In addition, NASA will negotiate with Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., Sunnyvale, Calif.; McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Huntington Beach, Calif; and Rockwell International, Space Station Systems Division, Downey, Calif.; the three proposers for work to be performed under the management of the Johnson Space Center, Houston. Following negotiations, a report will be presented to the NASA Administrator who will then award one or more contracts. Although the value of each contract will be negotiated, the Request for Proposal issued Sept. 14, 1984, indicates that the approximate value of each contract to be managed by the Marshall Center could be $24 million, by Johnson $27 million, by Goddard $10 million, and by Lewis $6 million. In addition to the definition and preliminary design of the permanently manned Space Station, contractors are required to study how those elements of the Space Station would change were the station originally man-tended rather than permanently manned. Contractors also will pay particular attention to the recommendations of the NASA Advanced Technology Advisory Committee which is identifying automation and robotic technologies that could be used in the Space Station. Following completion of the 21-month contracts, NASA plans to move, in 1987 into final design and development (Phase C/D) of the Space Station. The work to be managed at each center covers: Marshall -- Definition and preliminary design of pressurized "common modules" which can be equipped with appropriate systems for use as laboratories, living areas, and logistic transport; environmental control and propulsive systems; a plan for equipping a module as a laboratory and additional ones for possible use as logistics modules; and a plan for accommodations for orbital maneuvering and orbital transfer vehicles. Johnson -- Definition and preliminary design of the structural framework to which the various elements of the Space Station will be attached; interface between the Space Station and the Space Shuttle; mechanisms such as the Remote Manipulator Systems; attitude control, thermal control, communications and data management systems; plan for equipping a module with sleeping quarters, wardroom, and galley; and plan for extra-vehicular activity. Goddard -- Definition and preliminary design of the automated free-flying platforms and of provisions to service, maintain, and repair the platforms and other free-flying spacecraft; provisions for instruments and payloads to be attached externally to the Space Station; and plan for equipping a module as a laboratory. Lewis -- Definition and preliminary design of the electrical power generation, conditioning and storage systems. President Reagan, in his State of the Union Message of Jan. 25, 1984, directed NASA to develop a permanently manned Space Station and to do it within a decade. With the Space Shuttle approaching operational maturity, the agency believes the Space Station to be the next logical step in space for the United States. NASA will retain the responsibility for overall program definition and plans to retain responsibility for systems engineering in integration throughout the program. This effort will be managed at the Johnson Space Center. NASA's plans call for a Space Station to be operational by the mid 1990's. It will be capable of growth both in size and capability and is intended to operate well into the 21st century. It is planned to be placed in low Earth orbit, about 300 miles high, and at an inclination to the equator of 28.5 degrees. It will include a number of pressurized modules and a power supply of about 75 kilowatts, support a crew of six to eight people and have two or more free-flying platforms. For the purpose of the definition and preliminary design activity, NASA has selected a Space Station reference configuration called "power tower". This is one of a family of configurations that uses similar elements or components. The power tower family is considered a starting point for the definition studies and is expected to undergo significant modifications as the studies progress. Contractors may offer modifications within the reference concept family or other preliminary designs. Launch of the Space Station elements and subsequent transportation between the Earth and station will be provided by the Space Shuttle. A major objective of the Space Station Program is to bring about participation of international partners as builders and users as well as to assist in Space Station operations. The European Space Agency, Canada, and Japan have indicated interest in participating in the Space Station program. Funding for such international participation will be provided by the other governments who will award their own definition and preliminary design contracts in phase and in coordination with the NASA activity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marla S. Baer-Peckham Boeing Aerospace Co. ssc-vax!marla