NASA and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) are backing studies to address a range of health and performance issues confronting astronauts assigned to long-duration spaceflight, ranging from the vision impairments that have surfaced recently with International Space Station crew members to fundamental concerns like nutrition. The $17 million in grant awards to 23 principal investigators associated with 18 U.S. university, government and private-sector institutions will span from one to three years.

The five-segment solid rocket booster under development by ATK and Marshall Space Flight Center as part of NASA’s Block 1 Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket has completed a Preliminary Design Review that supports an unpiloted test flight with the Orion crew vehicle in 2017.

Russia will train and transport another six crew members to the ISS

Click here to view the pdf

U.S. AIR FORCE Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems Sector, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $35,696,841 contract modification (P00490) of F33657-01-C-4600 for Global Hawk engineering and manufacturing development. The total cumulative face value of the multi-year contract is $2,297,747,550. Work will be performed at San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by January 2017. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 and 2014. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WIGK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity.

U.S. NAVY

U.S. Navy

U.S. Army Thales Raytheon Systems Co., LLC., Fullerton, Calif., was awarded a $23,147,096 modification (No. P00003), to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (W31P4Q-13-C-0082), to procure Sentinel Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe kits and spares. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $30,442,096. Fiscal 2013 procurement funds are being obligated on this award. The Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.