NASA Awards Liquid Hydrogen Contract

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has selected Air Products and Chemicals Inc. of Allentown, Pa., for the follow-on contract for the agencywide acquisition of liquid hydrogen.

The fixed price, requirements follow-on contract begins Dec. 1, 2010. It has a one-year base performance period with a one-year option period. The maximum potential value of the contract is approximately $18 million, which is comprised of a $7 million base value and $11 million for the one-year option.

Air Products and Chemicals will supply approximately 10,860,000 pounds of liquid hydrogen to NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; and Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in support of the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. Liquid hydrogen, when combined with liquid oxygen, acts as fuel in cryogenic rocket engines.

Kennedy Space Center in Florida is responsible for the acquisition of liquid hydrogen on behalf of the agency.

For information about Kennedy Space Center, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy