Northrop Grumman lands $935M contract to build crew quarters for lunar space station
Falls Church-based aerospace and defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. has been awarded a $935 million contract from NASA to build the crew quarters for a space station in lunar orbit as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which plans to return astronauts to the moon this decade. The Fortune 500 corporation will complete the design and […]
Leidos’ Dynetics scores $90M NASA contract
Dynetics Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Reston-based Fortune 500 government contractor Leidos Holdings Inc., has received a potential $90 million contract from NASA to produce a laser air monitoring system (LAMS) for the agency’s Orion spacecraft, beginning with the Artemis III mission, which plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first […]
Northrop Grumman lands $155M Missile Defense Agency contract
The Missile Defense Agency awarded a subsidiary of Falls Church-based Northrop Grumman Corp. a $155 million contract to work on space-based sensor technology for defending against hypersonic weapons, the Department of Defense announced Friday. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. will perform on-orbit demonstration, launch and initial orbit testing work, according to the DOD. [&hel[...]
Virginia Space CEO, executive director to retire fall 2021
The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA) announced Tuesday that Dale K. Nash, Virginia Space’s CEO and executive director, will retire as early as fall 2021. Nash has led the organization since August 2012. His successor has yet to be named. “Dale has overseen the effective operation and incredible expansion of our launch facilities and […]
Perspecta wins $112M Space Development Agency contract
Chantilly-based federal contractor Perspecta Inc. announced Monday that it has received a potential five-year, $112 million contract to perform systems engineering and integration (SE&I) work for the newly established Space Development Agency (SDA). Work on the project started in late October under an initial $17.8 million task order. Under the contract, Perspecta engineers and architects [&he[...]
Northrop Grumman completes design review for astronaut living quarters
Falls Church-based Fortune 100 defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. announced Wednesday it has completed the initial preliminary design review (PDR) for the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), which will serve as living quarters for astronauts at the Lunar Gateway mini space station during lunar exploration missions. The HALO design was inspired by Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus [&helli[...]
Raytheon Intelligence & Space to acquire Colo.-based satellite provider
Arlington-based aerospace and defense contractor Raytheon Intelligence & Space announced Tuesday it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Lafayette, Colorado-based Blue Canyon Technologies, a provider of small satellites and spacecraft systems components. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 2008, Blue Canyon Technologies currently has more than 90 satellites in pr[...]
McLean defense contractor wins $71M Air Force space task order
The U.S. Air Force awarded McLean-based defense contractor Alion Science and Technology Corp. a $71 million task order to help the branch’s research laboratory (AFRL) develop space, electromagnetic and information technologies for potential national security use, the company announced Monday. Under the task order, Alion will provide research, development, test and evaluation services to the [...]
Arlington space tech startup receives additional CIT funding
The Herndon-based Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced Tuesday that Arlington-based space technology startup NOVI LLC has received a follow-on investment from the state government-backed venture fund CIT GAP Funds. An investment amount was not disclosed. CIT seed- and early-stage investments are made to Virginia-based technology, life sciences and clean tech companies that the center [[...]
Leidos subsidiary to build NASA spacecraft under $253M contract
Dynetics, a subsidiary of Reston-based federal contractor Leidos, has started developing a spacecraft called the Autonomous Logistics Platform for All-Moon Cargo Access through a potential $253 million contract with NASA to develop human landing systems for the agency’s lunar mission by 2024, CNBC first reported Wednesday. NASA selected Dynetics, along with Blue Origin and SpaceX, […]
International Space Station resupply mission launched from Wallops Island
The 13th cargo resupply mission (NG-13) took off Saturday afternoon from Wallops Island in Accomack County to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft will deliver more than 8,000 pounds of cargo to the space station, Gov. Ralph Northam said. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Falls Church-based defense contractor Northrop […]