NASA Selects Three Firms to Formulate Next Generation of GOES Instruments
NASA has awarded three $20 million contracts. They are
for the formulation phase work on the Hyperspectral
Environmental Suite (HES) of instruments for the next
generation of Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellites (GOES), operated by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“NOAA’s HES requirements have been established based on a
challenging mix of historical and new operational
measurements,” said Dr. Ghassem Asrar, NASA’s Associate
Administrator for Earth Science. “In response, the study
teams have offered an exciting and creative set of
implementation concepts needed to advance the nation’s future
weather forecasting capabilities. Their efforts over the next
two years will provide NOAA with critical options for
instrument design and operation to meet these needs,” he
added.
These formulation studies are Phase 1 of a Phased Acquisition
using progressive down select. When these formulation studies
are completed, a single contract will be awarded for
instruments that will provide infrared and visible
environmental data observation capabilities for the GOES-R
Series of geosynchronous satellites to replace and augment
the GOES N Series Sounder.
Under the terms of the firm-fixed price contracts, each
company will study the minimum HES operational performance
(threshold) tasks, as well as goal performance requirements
and tasks. The period of performance for each of the
contracts is 24 months. The firm-fixed price for the three
contracts is $20 million each.
The prime contractor awardees are: BAE Systems, Nashua, N.H.;
Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, Boulder, Colo.;
and ITT Industries, Fort Wayne, Ind. Work will be performed
at contractor sites.
The GOES Program is managed by NOAA, which establishes
requirements, provides funding, and distributes environmental
data for the United States. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight
Center, Greenbelt, Md., procures and manages the acquisition
of the GOES satellites for NOAA.
For more information about the GOES satellites on the
Internet, visit:
Weather imagery and atmospheric sounding information is
available on the Internet at:
http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/
For information about NASA and agency programs on the
Internet, visit:
