NASA Awards COntract to Support Astrobiology and Space Research

NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., has
awarded a contract valued at more than $300 million to
Lockheed Martin Space Operations, Houston, to provide
supplies and services for Ames’ Astrobiology and Space
Research Directorate.

Under the terms of the contract Lockheed Martin will support
numerous activities involved in the Space Station Biological
Research Project, Flight Payload Integration, and Fundamental
Biology Programs Office. The contract also will support Space
Station Payload Projects, Discovery Missions and Shuttle
Space Flight missions and payloads, in addition to
maintaining project and mission schedules and supporting
coordination of science planning between Ames and NASA
Headquarters in Washington, other NASA centers, science
working groups and other entities.

Lockheed Martin will provide support for planning and
analysis options for potential space flight opportunities and
support experimenters during development of flight
experiments and hardware, including flight hardware and
support equipment; orbital and ground support equipment; and
associated software.

The cost-plus-award-fee contract is valued at $310.0 million
and has a period of performance of eight years consisting of
a three-year base period, one two-year priced option and one
three-year priced option.

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution,
distribution and destiny of life in the universe. Fundamental
Biology is the study of the response of biological systems
and processes to the space flight environment. The
Astrobiology and Space Research Directorate at Ames conducts
research and technology development, manages programs and
projects, develops missions and serves the science community
in Astrobiology and related areas of Earth, Space and Life
Sciences.