NASA Exercises Contract Option For TDRS-M Satellite Decision Will Retain Hundreds Of Jobs

Nov. 30, 2011

Joshua Buck
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
jbuck@nasa.gov

Cynthia M. O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
240-684-0821
cynthia.m.ocarroll@nasa.gov

CONTRACT RELEASE: C11-049

NASA EXERCISES CONTRACT OPTION FOR TDRS-M SATELLITE DECISION WILL RETAIN HUNDREDS OF JOBS

WASHINGTON -- NASA has elected to exercise the first of two available
contract options for procurement of an additional Tracking Data Relay
Satellite (TDRS) from Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc. of El Segundo,
Calif. The estimated value of the contract option is $289 million and
extends the period of performance through April 2024. Exercising the
option will allow Boeing Satellite Systems to retain at least 300
American jobs.

The TDRS-K Program contract, awarded in December 2007, is a
fixed-price incentive contract that directs Boeing Satellite Systems
to design, develop, fabricate, integrate, test, ship, provide launch
support, conduct in-orbit checkout operations and provide sustaining
engineering support for two TDRS spacecraft, TDRS-K and TDRS-L. The
original contract included options for two additional spacecraft
(TDRS-M and TDRS-N). This action exercises the option for TDRS-M.

"With the first-generation TDRS spacecraft retiring by 2015, NASA must
continue to replenish the fleet," said Pete Vrotsos, network services
director for Space Communications and Navigation at NASA Headquarters
in Washington. "TDRS-M is the agency's first step in assuring the
space network will meet NASA's and the U.S. government's relay
satellite requirements by 2017."

The TDRS Project is a national asset that provides critical support to
NASA science and human exploration missions and support to other
government agencies. The TDRS System Project is located at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

For more information about the TDRS Program, visit:

http://tdrs.gsfc.nasa.gov

-end-

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