Lockheed Martin to continue NASA support

Lockheed Martin Corp. won a two-year extension from NASA to work on mission operations for space shuttle and International Space Station projects, the company said.

The extension is worth $178.5 million, bringing the total value of Lockheed Martin's Mission Support Operation Contract from NASA to more than $246 million. The original contract was awarded in September 2003.

Lockheed Martin will perform space operations and data services at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The company will support mission operations and ground systems planning for several parts of mission control, including the backup command and control center in Russia.

Ken Reightler, president of Lockheed Martin Space Operations, said the work is part of the ongoing effort to return a space shuttle to flight after the Feb. 1, 2003, space shuttle Columbia disaster.

Lockheed Martin's space division employs 3,000 people at eight NASA centers and other locations. Last November, it won a $165 million contract to work on cargo missions for the International Space Station.

Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin ranks No. 1 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list, based on 2003 prime government IT revenue of $5.5 billion.