NASA Awards Science Support Contract

The U.S. space agency announced the awarding of a contract to the Universities Space Research Association of Columbia, Md.

The contract, with a potential value of $35 million, is for research, analysis and testing of technology and system development in fire prevention, detection and suppression and other technologies necessary to sustain human life in space. Other areas of research will include power, environmental control and life support systems, resource utilization and crew health.

The work will be designed to enable the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to secure and sustain specialized research and development capabilities essential to its role in NASA’s exploration efforts.

The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity cost plus fixed fee contract’s two-year base period began June 6 and has a maximum value of $14 million. The contract has three one-year options with a potential estimated value of $35 million, if all options are exercised.

The USRA is a non-profit, private corporation acting under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences with 92 U.S. members, two in Canada, three in Europe, two in Israel and one in Australia.