Feb. 27, 2009

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

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