Feb. 19, 2009

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

Paul Foerman
Stennis Space Center, Miss.
228-688-1880
paul.foerman-1{at}nasa.gov

CONTRACT RELEASE: C09-006

NASA AWARDS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR ROCKET ENGINE TESTING

WASHINGTON -- NASA signed a contract Thursday with American Tank and
Vessel Inc. of Mobile, Ala., for the installation of a test cell
diffuser and associated systems in the A-3 test stand at NASA's
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The five-year, indefinite
delivery, indefinite quantity contract's value is not to exceed $45
million.

The A-3 test stand is being built at Stennis to test the J-2X engine
for NASA's Constellation Program. The Constellation Program is
developing next-generation spacecraft systems to send astronauts to
the International Space Station, the moon, Mars and destinations
beyond. The J-2X engine will power the upper stage of the Ares I crew
exploration vehicle and the Earth departure stage of the Ares V cargo
launch vehicle.

The A-3 test stand will allow engineers to analyze the J-2X engine's
operating parameters by simulating conditions at altitudes up to
100,000 feet. For these simulations, the test stand will generate
approximately 4,620 pounds per second of steam and use it to reduce
the engine test cell pressure.

Construction began on the A-3 test stand in summer 2007, with the
first test scheduled for 2012. The structure is the first large test
stand to be built since the south Mississippi site was established in
the 1960s.

For more information about NASA's Constellation Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

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