NASA Expands Lockheed Martin's Space Operations Deal

By Gail Repsher Emery, Staff Writer


NOV. 28 ? Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda, Md., won an expansion of its Consolidated Space Operations Contract with NASA to include commercial telemetry, tracking and commanding services, the company announced Nov. 27.


The added services will augment its data acquisition capacity and improve the reliability of NASA's ground network.


These new services will enhance NASA's tracking and communications resources without new capital investment by the U.S. government, supporting the space agency's effort to reduce operating costs by outsourcing operations services.


"We are confident that these expanded network capabilities will enable us to provide superior, cost-effective services to our customers," said Doug Tighe, program manager for CSOC.


CSOC is a $3.4 billion, 10-year contract to provide end-to-end space operations mission and data services to both NASA and non-NASA customers. Prime contractor Lockheed Martin works with more than 40 subcontractors on the contract.


CSOC manages NASA's data collection, telemetry and communications operations that support Earth-orbiting satellites, planetary exploration and human spaceflight activities. Services include data acquisition from spacecraft, data transmission to end users, data processing and storage, ground and space communications and mission control center operations.


CSOC is part of Lockheed Martin Space Operations, a business unit of Lockheed Martin Technology Services in Cherry Hill, N.J.