Jan. 28, 2009

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

Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
josh.byerly{at}nasa.gov

RELEASE: 09-018

NASA SEEKS CONCEPT PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE MOON LANDER

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, NASA issued a request for proposals for
concept definition and requirements analysis support for the Altair
lunar lander. Proposals are due to NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston by 2 p.m. CST on Feb. 27.

NASA's Constellation Program will use Altair to land four astronauts
on the moon following launch aboard an Ares V rocket and rendezvous
in low Earth orbit with the Orion crew vehicle. The lunar lander will
provide the astronauts with life support and a base for weeklong
initial surface exploration missions of the moon. Altair also will
return the crew to the Orion spacecraft that will return them home to
Earth.

This contract will provide resources to conduct NASA-directed
engineering tasks in support of evaluating vehicle conceptual
designs, maturing the vehicle design and reviewing the products for
system requirements reviews and system definition reviews. It is
anticipated that multiple awards will be made as a result of this
solicitation.

Johnson will manage the contracts, which will be awarded through a
full and open competition. The selections will be made in the spring
of 2009.

For more information about the request for proposal, visit:

http://procurement.jsc.nasa.gov/Altair

For more information about NASA's Constellation Program and the
Altair
lunar lander, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

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