Nasa extends ISS engineering support contract with Boeing

Nasa has extended a contract with Boeing to continue providing key engineering support services, resources, and personnel to its space programme for a further five years.

The $1.18bn deal extends the previous contract until 30 September, 2020. Under the contact, Boeing will evaluate how to extend the life of the International Space Station’s primary structural hardware through 2020, until the end of 2028.

It also allows Boeing to provide end-to-end subsystem management for most of the station systems and to continue providing hardware and software sustaining engineering for the programme.

Nasa will also be joined by its 16 international partners, while studying the station’s ability to sustain operation through 2020.

Since November 2000, the international space station has been occupied continuously.

Boeing space exploration vice-president and general manager John Elbon said: "This is a continuation of the successful relationship with Nasa and 16 partner nations in maintaining the health of the station.

"In addition, it builds on Boeing’s tradition of innovation and technological advancement to incorporate efficiencies and improve performance to the station as its importance to the future of human spaceflight continues to grow."

Boeing will perform its work at Nasa’s Lyndon B Johnson Space Center in Houston, John F Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, as well as other domestic and international locations.

In 2010, Nasa awarded a five-year extension contract worth $1.24bn to Boeing to continue provide engineering support of the International Space Station through 30 September, 2015.

This extended the space station’s contract, which was originally awarded in January 1995 and then in 2008. By 2015, the extension of the contract was valued at $16.2bn.

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Image: The International Space Station. Photo courtsey of National Aeronautics and Space Administration