Boeing team to build Ares

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

By SHELBY G. SPIRES

Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com

Initial contract set to bring some 200 jobs to Huntsville

An aerospace contract team headed by the Boeing Co. in Huntsville was selected Tuesday by NASA to build the upper stage for the space agency's next rocket - the Ares I.

The initial $514.7 million contract is slated to bring about 200 extra NASA and contractor support jobs to Huntsville, and will provide work for another 600 people already with NASA or contractors at Marshall Space Flight Center, said Danny Davis, NASA manager of the Ares upper stage.

Davis said more than 1,500 people are expected to work on the program at NASA centers across the nation.

Boeing officials have estimated the Ares team will add more than 100 jobs for Boeing in Huntsville, but the details haven't been finalized.

"We expect triple-digit job numbers, first in Huntsville, then in Michoud (near New Orleans). Until we have a chance to sit down with the customer and discuss the requirements, we won't be able to get more specific," said Jim Chilton, Boeing vice president of Exploration Launch Systems and program manager of Ares I Upper Stage production.

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.

The Boeing team will rely heavily on past aerospace experience to produce the upper stage, Chilton said.

As part of the United Launch Alliance, Boeing builds its Delta IV rocket in Decatur. Also, the company produced several major pieces of the International Space Station at Marshall.

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

The Boeing team will build a ground-test stage, three flight-test stages and six flight stages under the contract, which runs through 2016. The production work will be done at Michoud Assembly Facility, near New Orleans, and will be developed by NASA at Marshall, said Steve Cook, NASA's Ares project manager.

The contract has the potential to be worth $1.25 billion if all options and extensions are exercised by NASA, Cook said.

Cook said the stage is a major development for NASA and the aerospace industry.

"This stage is six times larger than any upper stage in use on launch vehicles today," Cook said. "It's on par with the Saturn S-IV stage that was used on the Saturn V."

The development program is modeled after the Saturn rockets designed and managed at Marshall by Dr. Wernher von Braun and his rocket team, Cook said.

Like the Saturn rockets, initial design and manufacturing development work will be done at Marshall, Cook said, and then will be moved to Michoud Assembly Facility.

Lockheed Martin runs Michoud today and produces the space shuttle external tank there. A transition plan is being developed, Davis said, to begin the upper-stage work while shutting down the external-tank line.

"It's a very big facility. There's room there, and we expect to have an (Ares) presence there by the end of 2008 and certainly by the beginning of 2009," Davis said.

NASA has one more major contract to issue for Ares I - the instrument guidance unit in December, Cook said.



Boeing team to build Ares Wednesday, August 29, 2007 By SHELBY G. SPIRES Times Aerospace Writer shelby.spires@htimes.com Initial contract set to bring some 200 jobs to Huntsville An aerospace contract team headed by the Boeing Co. in Huntsville was selected Tuesday by NASA to build the upper stage for the space agency's next rocket - the Ares I. The initial $514.7 million contract is slated to bring about 200 extra NASA and contractor support jobs to Huntsville, and will provide work for another 600 people already with NASA or contractors at Marshall Space Flight Center, said Danny Davis, NASA manager of the Ares upper stage. Davis said more than 1,500 people are expected to work on the program at NASA centers across the nation. Boeing officials have estimated the Ares team will add more than 100 jobs for Boeing in Huntsville, but the details haven't been finalized. "We expect triple-digit job numbers, first in Huntsville, then in Michoud (near New Orleans). Until we have a chance to sit down with the customer and discuss the requirements, we won't be able to get more specific," said Jim Chilton, Boeing vice president of Exploration Launch Systems and program manager of Ares I Upper Stage production. 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. The Boeing team will rely heavily on past aerospace experience to produce the upper stage, Chilton said. As part of the United Launch Alliance, Boeing builds its Delta IV rocket in Decatur. Also, the company produced several major pieces of the International Space Station at Marshall. The stage, which will use liquid rocket fuel, will boost the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to the space station. The Ares I is slated to be used in conjunction with the Ares V cargo rocket for trips to the moon. The Boeing team will build a ground-test stage, three flight-test stages and six flight stages under the contract, which runs through 2016. The production work will be done at Michoud Assembly Facility, near New Orleans, and will be developed by NASA at Marshall, said Steve Cook, NASA's Ares project manager. The contract has the potential to be worth $1.25 billion if all options and extensions are exercised by NASA, Cook said. Cook said the stage is a major development for NASA and the aerospace industry. "This stage is six times larger than any upper stage in use on launch vehicles today," Cook said. "It's on par with the Saturn S-IV stage that was used on the Saturn V." The development program is modeled after the Saturn rockets designed and managed at Marshall by Dr. Wernher von Braun and his rocket team, Cook said. Like the Saturn rockets, initial design and manufacturing development work will be done at Marshall, Cook said, and then will be moved to Michoud Assembly Facility. Lockheed Martin runs Michoud today and produces the space shuttle external tank there. A transition plan is being developed, Davis said, to begin the upper-stage work while shutting down the external-tank line. "It's a very big facility. There's room there, and we expect to have an (Ares) presence there by the end of 2008 and certainly by the beginning of 2009," Davis said. NASA has one more major contract to issue for Ares I - the instrument guidance unit in December, Cook said. © 2007 The Huntsville Times © 2007 al.com All Rights Reserved.