NASA wants to build a robotic spacecraft to repair and refuel satellites in orbit, and has awarded a $127 million contract to a private company in this regard.
The company receiving the contract is California-based satellite company Space Systems/Loral that will assist NASA in creating the robotic spacecraft equipped with all tools and technologies required to service satellites in orbit. Space Systems/Loral will build the spacecraft bus and will also provide hardware and services required for the development, deployment and operations of the Restore-L mission.
NASA is also planning to transfer Restore-L’s technologies to private companies to help create a new domestic servicing industry that would assist NASA in creation of its robotic servicing spacecrafts. The Restore-L servicer is a free-flying mission that NASA is planning to launch in 2020. The aim of this mission would be to grasp, refuel and relocate satellites to extend their life. This project is being managed by NASA’s Satellite Servicing Projects Division at Goddard Space Flight Center. According to NASA, the success of this mission would demonstrate the readiness of servicing technologies for incorporation into other NASA missions.
“The contract has a firm-fixed-price and includes a three-year core period and a two-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity portion. The total maximum value of the contract is $127 million,” NASA said in a statement on Tuesday.
Established in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is the space agency of United States of America and is responsible for the civilian space program and aeronautics/aerospace research. Since being established in 1958, NASA has led US in its space exploration efforts, including the Skylab space station, the Apollo moon-landing mission, and Space Shuttle. NASA also shares its data with various national and international organizations.
In the past 50 years, NASA has carried out a variety of manned and unmanned spaceflight programs. Unmanned programs included launching the first American artificial satellites into Earth orbit, sending scientific probes to different planets such as Mars and Venus, and others. Manned programs included sending the first Americans into low Earth orbit (LEO), accomplishing successful human landing on Moon in 1969 through Apollo program, and developing semi-reusable LEO Space Shuttle and space station.
Currently, NASA is working in association with Russia and European Space Agency to manage the International Space Station. The agency is also overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Commercial Crew vehicles, and the Space Launch System.
