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Webster, Texas-Based Commercial Space Services Firm Lands NASA Contract

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 September 2004, 06:00 CDT

Sep. 8--The promise made earlier this year by President Bush of returning to space has started to filter down to Houston-area companies.

Spacehab, a provider of commercial space services, has been awarded a nearly $1 million contract to support NASA's new exploration initiatives.

Officials of Spacehab are in Washington today for the first meeting under the contract, company spokeswoman Kimberly Campbell said.

Webster-based Spacehab was one of 11 companies awarded contracts totaling as much as $54 million. The largest contracts were snared by the likes of defense contractors Lockheed Martin Corp., the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp.

All of the contracts are tied to developing concepts for new space vehicles and manned missions to the moon.

President Bush announced the return to space in January, about a year after the breakup of the space shuttle Columbia over East Texas in early 2003. That mishap forced NASA to put the manned space program on hold, affecting scores of contractors in Houston and the Clear Lake area.

These newest contracts add to a surge of recent activity tied to the nation's space program as the move to return to flight intensifies.

NASA called the latest contracts part of a new commitment to locate the best outside experts for the space program.

"We are developing a sustained and affordable human and robotic program that will explore the solar system and beyond," retired Navy Rear Adm. Craig Steidle, an associate administrator with NASA, said in a prepared statement.

The latest contracts are worth $27 million and include options of about $27 million. All are six-month contracts. Spacehab's is for $995,603, with an option of $998,907.

The decision on whether options will be exercised will be based on factors ranging from quality of performance during the initial contract period and what NASA calls overall support for the so-called "vision for space exploration."

Ultimately, Congress will decide whether funding for the vision sees the light of day.

The visionVision for Space Exploration starts with returning the shuttle to flight. The shuttle fleet will be used to focus on completing the International Space Station. Then, robotic missions to the moon would begin by at least 2008, which NASA says will be followed by a human trip as early as 2015.

Plans call for the lunar exploration to "lay the groundwork" for future exploration of Mars and other destinations, according to NASA officials.

Plans also call for developing a spacecraft to support those journeys, with testing of the vehicle to begin before the end of the decade.

For Spacehab, the majority of the technical work will be done at the Houston-area headquarters, although some will be done in Washington, D.C., Campbell said.

"They are looking for a strong, sound technical approach for exploring the moon, Mars and beyond," Campbell said. "By utilizing Spacehab's commercial practices, we believe it will benefit their objectives."

The only other company with Houston ties to win a contract was SAIC, Houston, which was awarded a contract of $996,616, with an option contract of $998,539. SAIC has its headquarters in California.

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