NASA today awarded the first contracts to conduct
preliminary concept studies for human lunar exploration and
the development of the crew exploration vehicle. Eleven
companies were selected.

NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Associate
Administrator retired Navy Rear Adm. Craig E. Steidle, said,
“These study contracts reflect NASA’s new commitment to find
the best outside expertise that will work in partnerships to
benefit the nation’s goals for space exploration. We are
developing a sustained and affordable human and robotic
program that will explore the solar system and beyond. We
will accomplish this using the same ingenuity, commitment and
unwavering determination that forged the success of the
Apollo program.”

The contracts, which total approximately $27 million, with a
possible option worth an additional $27 million, are a result
of the Concept Exploration and Refinement Broad Agency
Announcement issued in May 2004.

The contracts will be awarded initiating a six-month base
period, with a six-month option that may be exercised at the
government’s discretion. Options may be exercised based on
several factors, including the quality of performance during
the base period, fiscal constraints and overall support to
the Vision for Space Exploration. The Vision for Space
Exploration gives NASA a new focus for a sustained and
affordable human and robotic space exploration program to
explore the solar system and beyond.

The contracts are in two categories or concept areas. The
first area is preliminary concepts for human lunar
exploration. The selected companies for “concept 1” and the
value of their contracts are:

  • Raytheon, Tucson, Ariz. — Base: $994,157; Option: $998,529

  • SAIC, Houston — Base: $996,616; Option: $998,539

  • SpaceHAB Corp., Webster, Texas — Base: $995,603; Option: $998,907

The second category consists of preliminary concepts for the
crew exploration vehicle and human lunar exploration. The
selected companies for “concept 2” and the value of their
contracts are:

  • Andrews Space Inc., Seattle — Base: $2,999,988; Option: $2,999,941

  • Draper Labs, Cambridge, Mass. — Base: $2,988,083; Option: $2,945,357

  • Lockheed Martin Corp., Denver — Base: $2,999,742; Option: $2,999,920

  • Northrop Grumman Corp., El Segundo, Calif. — Base: $2,958,753; Option: $2,999,473

  • Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va. — Base: $2,998,952; Option: $2,994,259

  • Schafer, Chelmsford, Mass. — Base: $2,999,179; Option: $2,997,804

  • The Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, Calif. — Base: $2,998,203; Option: $2,998,346

  • t-Space, Menlo Park, Calif. — Base: $2,999,732; Option: $2,939,357

For information about the Office of Exploration Systems on
the Internet, visit: http://exploration.nasa.gov/

For information about NASA on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov