Feb 27, 2009

Ashley Edwards/Grey Hautaluoma Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1756/0668 ashley edwards-1@nasa gov, grey hautaluoma-1@nasa gov

Lynnette Madison/Josh Byerly Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 lynnette b madison@nasa gov, bill j byerly@nasa gov

CONTRACT RELEASE: C09-008

NASA AWARDS CONTRACT FOR CONSTELLATION SPACESUIT FOR THE MOON

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded an interim letter contract to Oceaneering International Inc of Houston to begin work on the design, development and production of a new spacesuit system for the Constellation Program The system will protect astronauts during voyages to the International Space Station and exploration of the moon's surface

The letter contract requires Oceaneering International to begin work on the basic period of performance while NASA and the company negotiate the contract's final terms The current award amount for the performance of the letter contract is limited to $9 6 million It will become effective March 2 and be in effect until the full contract is defined, no later than Aug 29, 2009

The defined contract will include the same basic period of performance and contract options as those in the contract awarded in June 2008 The project schedule has been updated to align with the latest Constellation Program schedule Changes also were made to include Federal Acquisition Regulation and NASA Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement updates The schedule updates result in a basic period of performance of March 2009 to September 2015 The extension of the period of performance is required to support the Constellation Program schedule

Option 1 covers completion of design, development, test and evaluation for the moon surface suit components It has been adjusted to begin in October 2011 and run through September 2020 Option 2, for the suit astronauts will wear in the Orion crew module, provides for production, processing and sustaining engineering under a cost-plus-award fee or a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract structure It will begin at the end of the basic performance period in October 2015 and run through September 2020

The spacesuit and support systems will provide protection against the launch and landing environment and spacecraft cabin leaks The system offers the ability to conduct contingency spacewalks For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support a week's worth of moon walks The system also must be designed to support multiple spacewalks during potential six-month lunar outpost expeditions Suits and support systems will be needed for as many as four astronauts on moon voyages and as many as six space station travelers

Animation of the new designs and more information about NASA's Constellation Program are available online at:

http://www nasa gov/constellation

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