NASA Awards Crew Robotics, Vehicle Equipment Contracts

NASA has awarded contracts to two companies and two institutions
for Crew Robotics and Vehicle Equipment (CRAVE) work. Total value of
each of the four contracts is not to exceed $48 million.

Companies selected were Hamilton Sundstrand Services and Oceaneering
Space Systems Inc., both of Houston. Also receiving contracts: the
Texas Engineering Experiment Station at Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Ala. The
cost-plus-fixed-fee, performance-based contracts run through December
2009.

The contracts involve — extravehicular activity equipment, spacecraft
flight crew equipment, crew health and conditioning systems,
extravehicular robotics equipment, environmental control and life
support equipment and active thermal control systems, including ground
support systems. The equipment is for use in the Space Shuttle, the
International Space Station, and advanced equipment for future human
spaceflight programs.

The contracts with Hamilton Sundstrand Services and Oceaneering Space
Systems were awarded as a result of a full and open competition, called
A-CRAVE-Unrestricted. The other two contracts were awarded based on a
competition open to educational institutions, nonprofit institutions,
or federally funded research and development centers, called B-CRAVE
Restricted.

The work will be done at contractor and subcontractor facilities. For
information about NASA programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov