NASA Awards ISS Support Contract

The U.S. space agency says it has awarded a nearly three-year, $206.5 million spaceflight support contract to United Space Alliance of Houston.

The contract requires the company to provide mission and flight crew support operations for the International Space Station and human space exploration activities after the space shuttle is retired. The operations include spaceflight capability development and execution, mission planning and preparation, crew and flight controller training and real-time mission execution.

The initial period of the contract extends from Nov. 1, 2008, to Sept. 30, 2011. NASA said the cost-plus-award-fee contract provides for an optional one-year extension, which would increase the total value of the contract to $371 million.