Ares 1 contract set to be awarded

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

By SHELBY G. SPIRES

Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com

Deal for rocket's upper stage could mean 400 jobs

NASA is expected to award a major contract to one team of aerospace companies to build the upper stage for its Ares 1 rocket today. The contract could bring up to 400 jobs between contractor and federal positions to Huntsville over the next decade.

The award will be made at 3 p.m. at NASA headquarters in Washington.

Although the total jobs will fluctuate over time, the award is expected to bring from 100 to 200 contractor jobs and provide work for around 200 NASA employees, according to industry and government officials.

The stage, which will use liquid rocket fuel, will boost the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to the International Space Station. The Ares I is slated to be used in conjunction with the Ares V cargo rocket for trips to the moon.

Teams headed by ATK Launch Systems and Boeing are bidding for the project.

In late 2006, ATK Launch Systems, Lockheed Martin Inc. and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne formed a joint venture called Team Ares to seek the NASA contract. Even if the ATK-led team does not receive the upper stage contract award, ATK officials say the company will still have an increased presence in Huntsville and will pursue military and missile defense work.

ATK has signed a seven-year lease on a 20,000-square-foot building in Cummings Research Park, "but it's not entirely tied to NASA work," Mike Rudolphi, an ATK manager in Huntsville, said last month. "ATK also will use the facility to perform work on Army contracts and missile defense work."

Boeing's team of suppliers includes Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies, Moog, Northrop Grumman, Orion Propulsion Inc., SUMMA Technology Inc., United Space Alliance and the United Launch Alliance.

NASA awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne a $1.2 billion contract to develop, test and build the J-2X engine, which will be used to power the upper stage and is based on Apollo-era designs. ATK was awarded a $1.8 billion contract this month to build the Ares first stage, which is five solid rocket booster segments similar to those used on the space shuttle.

The next major Ares contract is the instrument unit, which is the flight computer. That contract is expected to be awarded by early December.



Ares 1 contract set to be awarded Tuesday, August 28, 2007 By SHELBY G. SPIRES Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com Deal for rocket's upper stage could mean 400 jobs NASA is expected to award a major contract to one team of aerospace companies to build the upper stage for its Ares 1 rocket today. The contract could bring up to 400 jobs between contractor and federal positions to Huntsville over the next decade. The award will be made at 3 p.m. at NASA headquarters in Washington. Although the total jobs will fluctuate over time, the award is expected to bring from 100 to 200 contractor jobs and provide work for around 200 NASA employees, according to industry and government officials. The stage, which will use liquid rocket fuel, will boost the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to the International Space Station. The Ares I is slated to be used in conjunction with the Ares V cargo rocket for trips to the moon. Teams headed by ATK Launch Systems and Boeing are bidding for the project. In late 2006, ATK Launch Systems, Lockheed Martin Inc. and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne formed a joint venture called Team Ares to seek the NASA contract. Even if the ATK-led team does not receive the upper stage contract award, ATK officials say the company will still have an increased presence in Huntsville and will pursue military and missile defense work. ATK has signed a seven-year lease on a 20,000-square-foot building in Cummings Research Park, "but it's not entirely tied to NASA work," Mike Rudolphi, an ATK manager in Huntsville, said last month. "ATK also will use the facility to perform work on Army contracts and missile defense work." Boeing's team of suppliers includes Hamilton Sundstrand, a subsidiary of United Technologies, Moog, Northrop Grumman, Orion Propulsion Inc., SUMMA Technology Inc., United Space Alliance and the United Launch Alliance. NASA awarded Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne a $1.2 billion contract to develop, test and build the J-2X engine, which will be used to power the upper stage and is based on Apollo-era designs. ATK was awarded a $1.8 billion contract this month to build the Ares first stage, which is five solid rocket booster segments similar to those used on the space shuttle. The next major Ares contract is the instrument unit, which is the flight computer. That contract is expected to be awarded by early December. © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.