Orion chute tested again

NASA this week completed another test of the Orion spacecraft parachutes at the Yuma Army Proving Ground in southwestern Arizona. The test was to examine the maximum pressure that Orion's parachutes might face when returning to Earth. A C-130 dropped a dart-shaped test vehicle with a simulated Orion parachute compartment from 25,000 feet. Orion will be launched in 2017 by NASA's Space Launch System. (Source: NASA, 08/29/12) Stennis Space Center, Miss., will test the engines for SLS; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans is building the Orion and will build the core stage of SLS.

SSC remains closed

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA's Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi will remain closed through Thursday, Aug. 30 due to Hurricane Isaac. The center is currently planned to reopen Friday, Aug. 31, for normal business operations. Employees should call 228-688-3777 for updates on center status. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/29/12)

SSC to close for Isaac

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA's Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi will close after normal business hours Monday due to the approach of Tropical Storm Isaac. The center plans to reopen Thursday for normal business operations. Employees should call 228-688-3777 for recorded updates. Naval personnel at SSC should contact the Navy Stennis Emergency Information number at 866-996-0382 or 808-684-5478. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/27/12)

A legend dies

Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died Saturday. He was 82. He died from complications after recent cardiac bypass surgery. Armstrong, a frequent visitor to this region of the country, was on the three-man Apollo 11 mission that was launched atop a Saturn V rocket in 1969. (Sources: multiple, 08/25/12)

NSSC employees awarded

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- Two NASA Shared Services Center employees from CSC were recently selected to receive the 2012 Solutions Development Division - Level, North American Public Sector President's Award, in the Leadership and Program-Project Management categories. Scott Taylor, functional manager for the NSSC's Human Resources Division, was selected as one of two winners in the Leadership category. Lori (Dyle) Hatten, transformation and continuous improvement lead, was selected as the winner in the Program-Project Management category. (Source: NASA/NSSC, 08/24/12)

NASA exercies third FOSC option

NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss., has exercised award term Period 3 of its Facility Operating Services Contract with Jacobs Technology of Tullahoma, Tenn. The FOSC provides a range of services to support NASA missions and more than 30 resident agencies. This cost-plus-incentive fee award term is valued at $51.8 million and is the third of seven award term periods following the three-year base period. Services provided include administration, facility engineering, food, mail, fire protection, custodial, multimedia, public affairs and education. It also covers facility maintenance and operations; safety, quality and environmental assurance; medical and occupational health; and logistics and transportation. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/24/12)

Engineers testing SLS

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Marshall Space Flight Center engineers and engineers at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., are using wind tunnel tests to enhance NASA's Space Launch System. That's the heavy lift launch vehicle that will take astronauts into deep space aboard the Orion spacecraft. Engineers at MSFC's Trisonic Wind Tunnel have spent the past four months putting scale SLS models through more than 900 tests of different crew and cargo configurations. (Source: Science Daily, 08/23/12) The SLS engines will be tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans builds the Orion and will build the core stage of SLS.

Architects, engineers picked

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA has selected S&B Infrastructure Ltd. of Houston and CDM-CH2M Hill JV of Fairfax, Va., to provide architect and engineer services under indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contracts at NASA's Stennis Space Center. The awarded contracts will have a five-year ordering period from the date of award, with the total amount of all task orders under all contracts awarded not to exceed $45 million. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/15/12)

Morpheus crashes in test

A small NASA lander being tested for missions to the moon and other destinations beyond Earth crashed and burned after veering off course during a trial run at the Kennedy Space Center last week. There were no injuries after the prototype, known as Morpheus, burst into flames near the runway formerly used by NASA's space shuttles. Designed and built by engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, it made several flights attached to a crane before Thursday's attempted free-flight. The engines appeared to ignite as planned, but a few seconds later Morpheus rolled over on its side and plummeted to the ground. (Source: Reuters, 08/10/12) The engine that powers the lander was tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Relocation services contract awarded

NASA selected Franconia Real Estate Services of Woodbridge, Va., for agency-wide employee relocation services effective Oct. 1. The firm-fixed price Blanket Purchase Agreement with delivery/task orders includes a one-year base period with four, one-year options, with a maximum value of about $35 million. The contractor also will provide home marketing assistance, counseling, destination area services and property management for NASA employees who are relocating. Relocation services are available at all NASA centers and associated facilities. The contract will be managed by the NASA Shared Services Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: NASA, 08/09/12)

NSSC honors employees

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- The NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) held its sixth annual Honor Awards ceremony at the Stennis Space Center auditorium Wednesday, honoring employees for exceptional performance. NSSC Executive Director Michael Smith and Goddard Space Flight Center Director Christopher Scolese presented seven individual medals, four group achievement awards and seven certificates of achievement. (Source: NASA/NSSC, 08/08/12)

Command gets new leader

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- Rear Adm. Brian Brown is the new leader of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at NASA's Stennis Space Center. He relieved Rear Adm. Jonathan White in a change of command ceremony Friday. Brown most recently served as deputy oceanography of the Navy in Washington, but before that was executive officer of the Naval Oceanographic Office at SSC. White is moving to Washington to become oceanographer of the Navy. The command's mission is to monitor weather and ocean conditions worldwide. (Source: WLOX-TV, Sun Herald, 08/03/12)

SSC construction contracts chosen

NASA selected six indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity multiple award construction contracts at the agency's Stennis Space Center, Miss. The fixed price contracts consist of a performance period of five years, with a total value not to exceed $700 million. Companies selected are: Advon Corp., Tallahassee, Fla.; Birmingham Industrial Construction LLC, Birmingham, Ala.; Harry Pepper & Associates Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.; McClain Contracting Co. Inc., Andalusia, Ala.; MOWA Development LLC, Gautier, Miss.; and Sauer Inc., Jacksonville, Fla. Work under the contract may include but will not be limited to maintenance, repair, alteration, mechanical, civil, electrical, heating/air conditioning, demolition, painting, earthwork, fencing, steel fabrication and or welding. Additional work also may include but will not be limited to design/build projects, as well as new construction of buildings or facilities. (Source: NASA, 08/03/12)

Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada win

NASA will provide $1.1 billion in contracts to Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada to develop spacecraft to ferry crews to and from the International Space Station. Boeing gets $460 million, SpaceX gets $440 million and Sierra Nevada will receive $212 million. The announcement was made Friday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The awards are part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development program, a potentially multibillion-dollar job of ferrying astronauts. While NASA works with industry partners to develop commercial spaceflight capabilities to low Earth orbit, it's also is developing the Orion crew vehicle and the Space Launch System for deep space exploration. (Sources: NASA, Los Angeles Times, Boeing, SpaceX via PRNewswire, Sierra Nevada via PRNewswire, 08/03/12) Stennis Space Center, Miss., tests rocket engines for NASA and commercial companies; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans builds Orion and will build the core stage of the SLS.

Fuel farm gets USDA grant, loan

A $300,000 grant and $740,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be used by the Hancock County (Miss.) Development Commission to buy an industrial site and build a fuel farm for a jet engine test facility, which Rolls Royce will lease at NASA's Stennis Space Center. The USDA program is designed to support job creation and strengthen economic growth in rural counties. Projects in 12 states are receiving money through Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program, which provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which, in turn, provide funds to local businesses for projects to create and retain employment in rural areas. (Source: USDA, 08/02/12)

NCAM partnership renewed

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- NASA and Louisiana leaders Thursday committed to a five-year extension of the partnership in the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, which supports aerospace manufacturing research, development and innovation for the space agency. NCAM was formed in 1999 and includes NASA, NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility, the state of Louisiana and the University of New Orleans. This new agreement expands the partnership to include Louisiana State University, which has engineering and research capabilities that can assist NCAM in fulfilling the nation's aerospace technology needs. (Source: NASA via PRNewswire, 08/02/12)

SBC meeting slated

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- The next quarterly meeting of the Stennis Business Consortium is Aug. 23 in the auditorium of Building 1200 at 1 p.m. Dan Pierre, vice president and general manager of Jacobs FOSC will provide an overview of the work performed at Stennis, the company's small business goals and ways to do business with Jacobs. Clay Williams, executive director of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, will provide an update on developments and new opportunities at the airport. Updates will also be provided by the Center of Higher Learning, Ingall's Shipbuilding, NASA-Stennis, New Horizons, and White-Spunner Construction. SBC provides a mechanism for federal agencies, local institutions, and businesses to exchange information on small business goals, needed and emerging technologies, upcoming procurement requirements and opportunities, and issues dealing with existing procurement regulations. (Source: FedBizOpps, 07/31/12)

Oceans in Action workshop nears

BILOXI, Miss. -- The Marine Technology Society's TechSurge Oceans in Action Workshop is scheduled for Aug. 13 and 14 at the IP Casino Resort in Biloxi. Events on the 13th include exhibit set-up, patron check-in and a reception. The next day featured speakers will detail major technologies developed or implemented since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. There also will be exhibits from agencies and companies involved in marine science and technology projects. To register, click here. Also on the 14th, the Stennis Space Center's Mississippi Enterprise for Technology will host one-on-one business matchmaking sessions. The deadline to schedule meetings is Aug. 6. For a list of participating agencies and to register, click here. (Source: Tcp, 08/01/12)