Oct. 4, 2006 Michael Braukus/Beth Dickey Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1979/2087 Kim Newton Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 CONTRACT RELEASE: C06-057 ARES I CREW LAUNCH VEHICLE FIRST STAGE CONTRACT MODIFICATION NASA is extending a previous contract action with ATK Thiokol of Brigham City, Utah, to continue design and development of the first stage for the Ares I crew launch vehicle. The extension has a maximum value of $35 million. Ares I is the crew launch vehicle that will transport the Orion crew exploration vehicle, its crew or other small cargo payloads to low-Earth orbit. The first stage will consist of a single solid rocket booster similar to those used on the space shuttle, but with a fifth motor segment added. The upper stage will consist of a J-2X liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen engine and the associated propellant tanks and main propulsion system. The contract action maintains the design, development, test and evaluation schedule; expedites the procurement of new nozzle metal hardware and production tooling for propellant casting and nozzle fabrication; and maintains the necessary design and engineering analysis leading to a Systems Requirements Review in December 2006. The action also provides support for an initial test flight in the spring of 2009 known as Ares I-1. The test flight will use a simulated fifth segment on the first stage motor and a simulated upper stage. The contract type is cost-plus-award-fee. This modification will increase the overall value of the existing $28 million contract action to a total of $63 million and provide support through Dec. 31, 2006 For information about NASA's Constellation Program, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/constellation -end- To subscribe to the list, send a message to: hqnews-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To remove your address from the list, send a message to: hqnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
