NASA Awards Propulsion System Contract for Moon-Bound Mission

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – NASA has selected Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, Calif., to receive a contract for the propulsion system for the Lunar Atmosphere Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft. The contract has a maximum value of $8.86 million.

This is a firm fixed price 15-month long contract that begins Dec. 21, 2009.

Under the terms of the contract, the company will design and construct a propulsion system that meets the LADEE project requirements, integrate the propulsion system into the NASA-provided LADEE propulsion structure, and provide NASA with propulsion system operation training and technical advice.

NASA’s LADEE is a small spacecraft observatory that will study the moon’s atmosphere and dust above the lunar surface.

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington funds the LADEE mission, a cooperative effort led by NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. NASA Ames will manage the mission, build the spacecraft and perform mission operations and Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., will perform environmental testing, launch vehicle integration and manage the LADEE payload office. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., manages LADEE within the Lunar Quest Program Office. NASA Wallops Flight Facility will be responsible for the management of launch services, including providing vehicle engineering support and launch range operations.

For more information about NASA’s science research programs, visit: http://www.nasascience.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA’s Ames Research Center, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ames