Five-Year Deal Not To Exceed $25 Million

NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center has awarded a multi-year contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems Division of San Diego for engineering and technical services in support of the center's planned operation of two Global Hawk aircraft.

The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, sole-source contract is for a five-year period with a value not to exceed $25 million. The agreement covers the period from August 6, 2008 through August 5, 2013.

The contract supports Dryden's planned operation of the two aircraft, their associated ground control station and related systems. Technical assistance will include analysis, design support for unique systems, simulations, software development and engineering, and operational and manufacturing support as needed.

Dryden will use the autonomously operated unmanned aircraft for missions supporting NASA's Science Mission Directorate and the Earth science community that need high-altitude, long-endurance, long-distance airborne capability.

The two pre-production Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration aircraft were recently transferred to Dryden from the US Air Force, which had no further requirement for the craft. The autonomously flown aircraft are the first and sixth Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrators built under the original Global Hawk development program sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The ability of the Global Hawk to autonomously fly long distances, remain aloft for extended periods of time, and carry large payloads offers NASA the new capability to the science community for measuring, monitoring and observing remote locations of Earth not feasible or practical with piloted aircraft, most other robotic or remotely operated aircraft or space satellites.

The aircraft’s 11,000-nautical-mile range and 30-hour endurance, together with satellite and line-of-site communication links to the ground control station, allow for eventual worldwide operation. Dedicated satellite communication links will provide researchers with direct access to their onboard instrument packages during missions. Researchers will have the ability to monitor instrument function from the ground control station and evaluate selected data in real time

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com, www.nasa.gov