RSIS Wins $27 Million Satellite Imagery Contract

RS Information Systems Inc. of McLean, Va., announced March 27 it was awarded a five-year, $27 million contract to develop and operate computer processing for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency's satellite imagery.

The work supports distribution of imagery to the media and weather forecasting offices of the National Weather Service, said Rodney Hunt, RSIS chairman and chief executive officer.

"This is imagery used to help protect life and property by allowing the forecasting of weather, and, in particular, severe weather," Hunt said. " For this reason, effective processing of this satellite imagery is vital."

The RSIS contract is with the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, a division of NOAA in Camp Springs, Md. One of its satellites produces the imagery to track hurricanes.

RSIS, the prime contractor, will partner with PRC Inc., a McLean, Va., subsidiary of Litton Industries Inc. About 56 employees are involved in the work, which began March 1.

Through this contract and other work, RSIS supports three key elements of NOAA's environmental observation infrastructure: operations and engineering support of the National Weather Service next-generation weather radar; software and systems engineering for the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System; and the data processing and distribution of satellite imaging.