By Chuck B. Hickam, The Chicago Times
February 24, 2023
WASHINGTON – NASA announced Thursday that it has selected Jacobs Technology Inc., of Tullahoma, Tennessee, to manage launch infrastructure, and to operate and maintain ground systems required for flight spacecraft processing at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center.
According to NASA the Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering and Test (COMET) contract will provide vehicle assembly and integration, launch, and recovery operations for Artemis missions through 2033.
The Artemis program is the next phase in human Moon exploration led by NASA along with the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Canadian Space Agency.
“This is a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award fee contract, with an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) ordering mechanism for obtaining additional services via task orders. The contract period of performance consists of a three-year, five-month base period beginning May 1, followed by two two-year option periods, and one two-year and seven-month option period. The total potential value of the contract is approximately $3.2 billion, which includes the base plus option periods, as well as the maximum IDIQ ordering value of $500 million.” NASA said in a press release.
NASA also announced that the COMET contract will include engineering; ground system development; flight vehicle/spacecraft processing; and launch, landing, and recovery operations in support of the following exploration systems development programs: exploration ground systems, Space Launch System, and Orion spacecraft.
In addition, the COMET contract also will support the International Space Station Program, Launch Services Program, and other NASA programs at Kennedy Space Center.
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