17 décembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - December 11, 2020

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a ceiling $900,000,000 firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, over-and-above, cost-reimbursement contract to stand up a continental U.S.-based contractor facility to perform depot-level maintenance and aircraft modification services in support of the F-16 aircraft. Support will include all aircraft modifications, unplanned drop-in maintenance, time compliance technical orders, scheduled inspections and contract field team support. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,402,952 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8232-21-D-0005).

General Atomics Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $305,188,639 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Reaper (MQ-9) contractor logistics support. This contract provides for program management, contractor filed service representative support, depot repair, depot maintenance, sustaining engineering support, supply and logistics support, configuration management, tech data maintenance, software maintenance and inventory control point/warehouse support for the MQ- 9. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $65,406,872 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8577-21-C-0001).

Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $29,224,207 modification (P00097) to contract FA8705-14-C-0001 for production of initial spares under already established contract line item numbers 0007, 0008, and 0009 for Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal. Work will be performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 other procurement funds in the amount of $4,108,105; and fiscal 2020 other procurement funds in the amount of $25,116,102, are being obligated at time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $588,307,659. The Air Force Material Command, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.

GRP Paving and Construction, Tewskbury, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $25,862,782 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide repair/replacement of roadways, curbing and sidewalks. This will include the required demolition and earthwork at various locations throughout Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts; Sagamore Hill Electronics Research Annex, Hamilton, Massachusetts; Fourth Cliff Recreation Annex, Humarock Massachusetts; Cape Cod Air Force Station, Sagamore, Massachusetts; Patriot Golf Course, Bedford Massachusetts; and New Boston Air Force Station, New Boston, New Hampshire. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,500 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA2835-21-D-0002).

The Boeing Co., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded a $9,156,355 modification (P00005) to contract FA8823-20-C-0001 to exercise an option for systems engineering and sustainment support for the Wideband Global Satellite Communications constellation. Work will primarily be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and this option is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity.

NAVY

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $109,155,844 firm-fixed-price order (N61340-21-F-0002) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0002 to procure P-8A training systems for the government of New Zealand. This order procures one Operational Flight Trainer (OFT) with one OFT Brief/Debrief Station (BDS); one Weapons Tactics Trainers (WTTs) with one WTT BDS; one 10-seat flight management systems trainer electronic classroom; one 10-seat mission systems desktop trainer electronic classroom; one training system support center; one scenario generation station; one virtual maintenance trainer; one maintenance support cabinet; and one 10-seat maintenance electronic classroom. Additionally, this order provides for software, books and other publications, contracts, logistics, engineering and management technical assistance required for the development, production, test and in-country delivery, installation and inspection of the training systems. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (36%); Tampa, Florida (23%); Long Island, New York (12%); Ohakea, New Zealand (10%); San Francisco, California (8%); Huntington Beach, California (5%); Seattle, Washington (3%); and Jacksonville, Florida (3%), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $109,155,844 will be obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is awarded a $104,518,407 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2112 for Naval Nuclear Propulsion Components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pennsylvania (99%); and Schenectady, New York (1%). Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $47,478,413 (46%); 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $45,375,262 (43%); and 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,664,732 (11%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $82,710,850 cost-plus-fixed fee and cost only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-5501 to exercise the options for Air and Missile Defense Radar AN/SPY-6(V) integration and production support efforts. Work will be performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts (64%); Kauai, Hawaii (18%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (8%); Moorestown, New Jersey (7%); Fair Lakes, Virginia (2%); and San Diego, California (less than 1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2021. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,309,691 (47%); 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,846,577 (24%); 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,620,778 (15%); 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,412,405 (9%); 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,587,256 (4%); and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 (1%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $68,162,655 modification (P00023) to cost-plus-incentive-fee order N00019-19-F-2474 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification adds scope to procure additional Technical Refresh 3 (TR3) test assets to allow for test laboratory upgrades and for test aircraft modifications. This modification will result in the procurement and delivery of TR3 system laboratory and flight test assets for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (98%); and Fort Worth, Texas (2%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $21,000,000; fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,000,000; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $881,107 will be obligated at time of award, $21,000,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

MHI Ship Repair and Services – Norfolk (MHI), Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $57,134,922 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of the USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) fiscal 2021 selected restricted availability (SRA). This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of the USS Oak Hill (LSD 51). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $71,850,462. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $57,134,922 will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $51,832,242 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In an effort to stabilize the industrial base for maintenance, a sole-source justification has been made in the industrial mobilization justification and approval, in accordance with the requirements of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-21-C-4408). (Awarded Dec. 9, 2020)

The Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Mitchell Field, New York, is awarded a $43,591,084 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00011) to previously awarded and announced contract N00030-20-C-0045 for the U.S. and United Kingdom (U.K.) to provide Strategic Weapon System Trident Fleet support, Trident II SSP Shipboard Integration (SSI) Increment 8, SSI Increment 16, Columbia class and U.K. Dreadnought class Navigation Subsystem development efforts. Work will be performed in Mitchell Field, New York (47%); Huntington Beach, California (36%); Clearwater, Florida (9%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (6%); and Hingham, Massachusetts (2%), with an expected completion date of Nov. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $81,400 will be obligated; and shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $43,509,684 will be obligated. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source acquisition in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and (4). The Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Manu Kai LLC,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded $37,000,000 for a bridge contract (N00604-21-D-4009) as a bridge action for previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N00604-09-D-0001 with both cost-plus-award-fee and fixed-price-award fee line items for range operations support and base operations support services. This contract includes one three-month performance period with no option periods. Work will be performed at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Island of Kauai, Hawaii. Work begins January 2021, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Subject to the availability of funds, fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds (Navy) in the amount of $1,700,000 will be obligated at the time of award to fund the contract's minimum amount, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source pursuant to the authority set forth in 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1). The requirement was posted to the Navy Electronic Commerce Online and the beta.SAM.gov websites as a 100% 8(a) set-aside requirement, with one offer received. The Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $36,547,389 modification (P00037) to previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract N00019-18-C-1048. This modification adds scope to provide additional intermediate level maintenance capabilities in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the Navy and the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (30.8%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (30.1%); El Segundo, California (25.5%); Fort Worth, Texas (9.1%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (2.6%); and Endicott, New York (1.9%), and is expected to be completed in October 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $36,547,389, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons, Virginia (N66001-21-D-0030); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N66001-21-D-0031); Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N66001-21-D-0032); Systems Engineering Support Co., San Diego, California (N66001-21-D-0033); and VT Milcom Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N66001-21-D-0034), are each awarded an $18,925,685 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple-award contract to provide production management, integration and fabrication and system and component procurement for network integration engineering facility production services. Technical services include basic research, end-to-end system design, prototype development, systems engineering, integration, deployment and life cycle support of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. This one-year contract includes four one-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $116,019,918. All work will be performed in San Diego, California. The period of performance of the base award is from Dec. 11, 2020, through Dec. 10, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Dec. 10, 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Fiscal 2021 funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using operation and maintenance (Navy); Department of Defense working capital funds; other procurement (Navy); research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and shipbuilding and conversion (Navy). This contract was competitively procured via a request for proposal (N66001-20-R-0030) published on the beta.SAM.gov website. Six offers were received and five selected for award. The Naval Information Warfare Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Anaheim, California, is awarded a $13,999,957 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00036) for new procurement options under previously awarded and announced contract N00030-18-C-0001. The work will provide services and support for flight test instrumentation (FTI) systems. Work will be performed in Anaheim, California (55%); Cape Canaveral, Florida (28%); Washington, D.C. (6%); Bremerton, Washington (3%); Kings Bay, Georgia (3%); Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom (3%); Laurel, Maryland (1%); and Silverdale, Washington (1%), with an expected completion date of Sept. 1, 2023. Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,694,024; fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,647,388; and fiscal 2021 United Kingdom funds in the amount of $1,025,720, are being obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract modification is awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (now beta.SAM.gov) website. The Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, is awarded a $12,129,112 modification (P00007) to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract N00039-18-D-0006. The modification will allow for the completion of C4I system of systems testing, integration and installation services being performed onboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) under task order N00039-19-F-0017. The ceiling increase will allow for the completion of services onboard CVN 73 during its Chief of Naval Operations-directed refueling and complex overhaul maintenance availability currently ongoing. This action does not extend either the ordering period of contract N00039-18-D-0006 or the current period of performance of the CVN 73 task order N00039-19-F-0017. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (90%); and Charleston, South Carolina (10%). The current period of performance for the order remains unchanged ending in September 2022. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) in the amount of $6,000,000 will be obligated at time of award of this modification and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This sole-source modification was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source (Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 6.302-1). The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

ARMY

Manhattan Construction Co., Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $87,562,320 firm-fixed-price contract for the design-bid-build construction of a 281,075 square-foot operations center building. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work will be performed in Richmond, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 21, 2023. Fiscal 2020 military construction (defense-wide) funds in the amount of $87,562,320 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-21-C-2019).

Mission Essential LLC, New Albany, Ohio, was awarded a $15,669,134 modification (P00004) to contract W50NH9-20-C-0008 for linguist services in support of U.S. Africa Command. Work will be performed in New Albany, Ohio, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 14, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $1,470,000 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

Textron Aviation Inc., Wichita, Kansas, was awarded an $11,396,670 firm-fixed-price contract for a King Air 250 aircraft. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Wichita, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of June 13, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Panama) funds in the amount of $11,396,670 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-21-C-0004).

SRCTec LLC, Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $9,222,754 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract for procurement of hardware and services to address the system sustainment needs for the Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare Duke Family of Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 10, 2021. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $9,222,754 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGY-21-F-0013).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Gexa Energy LP, Houston, Texas (SPE604-21-D-8008, $41,038,553); and TXU Energy Retail Co., Irving, Texas (SPE604-21-D-8010, $14,444,141), have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, requirements contract under solicitation SPE604-20-R-0409 to supply and deliver retail electricity and ancillary/incidental services. These were competitive acquisitions with six responses received. These are three-year contracts with no option periods. Location of performance is Texas, with a Jan. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Air Force, Navy, Navy Reserves, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Air National Guard, and Department of Agriculture. Using customers are solely responsible to fund this contract and vary in appropriation type and fiscal year. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY

iWorks Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $16,686,139 firm-fixed-price contract (HS0021-21-C-0002) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). The contract provides for seamlessly vetting personnel for access, preserving the adjudicative decision and identifying and mitigating insider threat risk. Work will be performed in and around Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. This contract will be funded with fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds. The anticipated period of performance includes one 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods. The estimated lifecycle award value is $86,835,820. This requirement was synopsized on the government-wide point of entry website as a single-award, small business set-aside on Nov. 20, 2018. As a result, all small businesses were solicited and four offers were received. DCSA Acquisition and Contracting, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

*Small business

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2444963/source/GovDelivery/

Sur le même sujet

  • House lawmakers propose $1.3 billion for Pentagon innovation

    4 juin 2024 | International, Sécurité

    House lawmakers propose $1.3 billion for Pentagon innovation

    The bill would add more than $500 million for DIU initiatives to quickly deliver capabilities to combatant commands and the military services.

  • The U.S. Army of the Future: An Interview with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth

    15 octobre 2021 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    The U.S. Army of the Future: An Interview with Army Secretary Christine Wormuth

    Secretary of the Army Hon. Christine Wormuth talks to Defense News' Jen Judson about a range of topics at the annual Association of the U.S. Army conference.

  • Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin just landed a major rocket deal

    28 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

    Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin just landed a major rocket deal

    Michael Sheetz | @thesheetztweetz Blue Origin has won a contract to supply its next-generation engines for the massive rocket United Launch Alliance is developing, a person familiar with the negotiations told CNBC ULA – a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin – will announce the deal on Thursday, the person said. The companies confirmed CNBC's reporting in a press release Thursday afternoon Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has won a contract to supply its next-generation engines for the massive rocket United Launch Alliance is developing, a person familiar with the negotiations told CNBC. The company's BE-4 engine, the thunderous staple of Blue Origin's propulsion business, will power ULA's Vulcan rocket: a new heavy lift vehicle being built to compete with SpaceX for lucrative commercial and military contracts. ULA, a joint venture of Boeingand Lockheed Martin created in 2006, will announce the deal on Thursday, the person said. ULA confirmed CNBC's reporting in a press release Thursday afternoon. "We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Blue Origin and look forward to a successful first flight of our next-generation launch vehicle," ULA CEO said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Bezos is investing heavily in Blue Origin, pouring about $1 billion of his Amazon stock into the rocket venture each year. In a speech Sept. 19, Bezos said he plans to invest another $1 billion next year into the company's New Glenn rocket, which BE-4 will power. The engines of a rocket represent the majority of the cost, so the contract may be worth several billion dollars to Blue Origin. The Wall Street Journal first reported the contract win by the company. Blue Origin has long been the front-runner in a race against Aerojet Rocketdyne, which has been developing its AR1 engine. While AR1 was still technically in the running until now, Bruno had said he would prefer BE-4 for Vulcan, with AR1 potentially becoming a backup. Aerojet was behind in the development, while Blue Origin had already completed multiple tests, firing the BE-4 engine for long durations. Aerojet has not completely lost, even if AR1 ends up with no part in Vulcan. ULA announced in May it picked the Aerojet's smaller RL10 engine to power the upper-stage of Vulcan — the part of the rocket that places spacecraft into their intended orbits after a launch. ULA currently uses the RL10 for its Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. All eyes on the Air Force The deal also represents a key first step toward Blue Origin winning lucrative military contracts. The Pentagon is working to ensure that all the rockets it buys are built entirely in the U.S., making Blue Origin a potential propulsion supplier for several companies. Congress has set a deadline of 2022 for phasing out Russian-built rocket engine, which currently power ULA's Atlas V rocket. Vulcan's development began once the Pentagon started pushing to end reliance on Russian engines. The competition to launch U.S. military equipment is stiff. SpaceX is grabbing more and more share of the market from ULA — which was the sole provider of U.S. military launches for nearly a decade. Northrop Grumman may also get a foothold through its recent acquisition of Orbital ATK. Jefferies said on April 23 that the company's OmegA rocket "is starting at a high level of technology readiness given its leverage of current components." The next big milestone in the rocket business is an Air Force award expected later this year, with about $1.2 billion up for grabs over the next five years. Known as the Launch Services Agreement, the Air Force is looking to narrow the field of ULA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin. Each company won an initial development award in 2016, with the next step to narrow the field to three companies for the development of system prototype. "We have been working closely with the U.S. Air Force, and our certification plan is in place," Bruno said in his statement. The military is then anticipated to make a final decision in 2020, picking two suppliers to compete for 28 missions over five years. Blue Origin becoming a major player Morgan Stanley told clients earlier this month "to take notice" of Bezos investments in the space industry through Blue Origin, pointing to him as a "force" bringing financial muscle. "We believe investors may want to pay far more attention to another emerging force for the advancement of efforts in Space that has both the will and, increasingly, the financial muscle to put to work," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said in a note. Morgan Stanley estimated that Bezos' Amazon shares are worth about $160 billion — "equal to around 16 years worth of NASA expenditures on Space exploration," the firm said. Morgan Stanley advised its clients to take note of that comparison as Bezos' wealth continues to grow. Blue Origin has "invested about $1 billion in the Space Coast," Bezos said in his recent speech, with funds going to the company's manufacturing facility and Launch Complex 36, which Blue Origin leased at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Blue Origin has spent "over seven years developing this engine to make it reusable," CEO Bob Smith told CNBC on April 18. At the time, Smith said the company was "excited about the commercial opportunities" that BE-4 will provide. "United Launch Alliance is the premier launch service provider for national security missions, and we're thrilled to be part of their team and that mission," Smith said in a statement Thursday. Smith has also said before that the engine was "certainly demonstrating all the technical characteristics" that ULA needs for Vulcan – but Blue Origin expects to be able to sell BE-4 to other rocket companies, too. "We're going to offer it to whoever else will come out and say they need a new engine," Smith said at the time. Reusability remains the emphasis of Blue Origin, which already has launched and landed its smaller New Shepard rocket multiple times. Each BE-4 engine is designed to complete "100 full missions," Smith said in April. Reusability provides tremendous cost savings of 50 to 75 percent, Smith said — a claim made more believable by SpaceX's massive Falcon Heavy rocket coming with a price tag of just $150 million, at most. The first launches of New Glenn and Vulcan are not expected before 2020, the companies have said. Vulcan and New Glenn are expected to compete with Falcon Heavy on cost and power – but SpaceX remains undaunted. New Glenn will be a monstrous vehicle, standing as high as 313 feet, with seven BE-4 engines powering each rocket. The Vulcan rocket is 191 feet and capable of launching a more than 7 tons of payload into orbit. Falcon Heavy, on other hand, stands 230 feet tall and, after its launch in February, is the world's most powerful rocket since NASA's Saturn V. The space race is on After Falcon Heavy launched successfully, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk told reporters he thinks the historic flight will "encourage other companies and countries" to be ambitious in the same way as SpaceX. Musk's company helped the United States reclaim not just a portion but a majority in the global launch market in 2017 and represented more than 60 percent of U.S. launches while doing so. Bezos has said Blue Origin is "the most important work" he's doing. He also has said there should be "a permanent human settlement on one of the poles of the moon" and thinks it's not just time for humans to return to the moon, it's "time to stay." While SpaceX may be out to an earlier lead in the development of next-generation rockets, Blue Origin solidified itself as a true competitor with this BE-4 contract — one that may help ULA keep its competitive edge. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/27/blue-origin-lands-major-rocket-engine-deal-with-ula-source.html

Toutes les nouvelles