Robert Lightfoot, acting director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., today presented three contractor companies with 2008 Marshall Center Contractor Excellence Awards.
The recipients of the contractor awards are ATK Space Systems of Magna, Utah; Science Applications International Corporation of Huntsville; and Gray Research Inc. of Huntsville. Each company was selected for its significant contributions to the Marshall Center’s mission.
The awards were presented at Marshall’s annual Center Director’s Breakfast today in Huntsville.
Eligible contractor companies were evaluated on the basis of seven criteria: contract technical performance; schedule and cost performance; leadership and quality improvements; customer satisfaction; innovation; and a category that included safety, diversity and outreach.
Presenting the awards, Lightfoot said, “These honorees, along with all of our Marshall Center contractors, are key to the success of our programs and projects, ensuring the successful completion of the Space Shuttle Program and launching a new era in space exploration in Earth orbit and beyond. I am extremely pleased to recognize the efforts of these dedicated Marshall team members.”
ATK Space Systems, formerly ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah, was honored in the “Large Business — Product” category. ATK provides the space shuttle’s reusable solid rocket motors and booster separation motors. It will deliver the first stage for the Ares I rocket, NASA’s next-generation launch vehicle, and the launch abort system motor for the Orion crew capsule, slated to ferry explorers to Earth orbit and beyond in coming decades.
Science Applications International Corporation was honored in the “Large Business — Service” category. The company’s Unified NASA Information Technology Services contract, or UNITeS, provides information technology services to all 10 NASA centers and a worldwide community of more than 100,000 users — including a significant user community in Russia. Gray Research Inc. received the “Small Business — Service” category award. The company provides technical and programmatic solutions and support to NASA as well as to the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial customers.
Recipients of the Marshall Center’s Contractor Excellence Award may become nominees for NASA’s George M. Low Award. Named for the former NASA deputy administrator who served from 1969 to 1976, the Low Award is the agency’s oldest and most prestigious award for quality and performance in the aerospace industry.
