Eleven companies have won NASA contracts to study preliminary concepts for human lunar missions in 2015-20, as a first step towards the USA's new space exploration vision. A second tranche of proposals covering development of human and robotic technology to support the Project Constellation exploration initiative are to be submitted this week.
The concept exploration and refinement contracts, totalling $27 million, are for a six-month base period, each with follow-on options for a further six months of study work, worth an additional $27 million. Options will be exercised based on performance, funding constraints "and overall support to the vision for space exploration", says NASA.
Contracts are in two categories: Raytheon, SAIC and SpaceHab have each received roughly $1 million to study preliminary concepts for human lunar exploration; while Andrews Space, Boeing, Draper Labs, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Orbital Sciences and Schafer have each received $3 million to develop concepts for the crew exploration vehicle (CEV) and human lunar exploration. A request for proposals to develop the CEV is planned to be released in January, leading to a test flight in 2008.
GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Source: Flight International
