Peraton gets extension on NASA space comms contract
By
Ross Wilkers
Peraton gets a one-year extension to continue supporting NASA's main space communications network as that program paces toward rebid.
Peraton said Thursday it has received a one-year, $243 million extension on its contract to continue helping NASA run one of its main near-Earth and space communications networks as the agency prepares to award the recompete for that work.
NASA is in the source selection phase for SCNS' successor contract known as Space Exploration Networks Services and Evolution, or SENSE, which Deltek data indicates is worth up to $1.8 billion over five years.
The history of Peraton's support for the Space Communications Network Services program dates back to 2011, when ITT Corp. booked the contract after an almost three-year protest battle. SCNS then transitioned to Exelis after the defense contractor spun off from ITT also that year. Exelis was then acquired by Harris Corp. in 2015.
Harris last year sold its IT services business that held the contract to private equity firm Veritas Capital, which rebranded the business to Peraton.
SCNS and the successor SENSE contract both support large NASA programs such as the International Space Station, Hubble Space Teelscope, Earth Observing Systems satellites and other missions such as the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1.
The overall scope of work covers systems architecture, engineering and integration; along with sustainment, operations and maintenance services.