Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract extension by Nasa to offer facilities development and operations support for human spaceflight missions at the agency’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston until 30 September 2016.

The $340m, three-year facilities development and operations contract (FDOC) extension includes a two-year base period with a one-year option, with the overall contract value surpassing $1bn.

As part of the FDOC, Lockheed Martin offers engineering and operations assistance for the hardware, software, data and display systems deployed for training and executes all human spaceflight missions supported by JSC’s mission operations directorate.

"Lockheed Martin offers engineering and operations assistance for the hardware, software, data and display systems deployed for training and executes all human spaceflight missions supported by JSC’s mission operations directorate."

Furthermore, the contract involves a provision of systems services support within the Christopher C Kraft Jr Mission Control Center and the Jake Garn Mission Simulator and Training Facility, in addition to other backup control centres.

Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions exploration and mission support vice-president Rick Hieb said: "At the heart of what makes Lockheed Martin unique is the commitment to taking on the hardest challenges and finding ways to solve them, and our longstanding support of Nasa’s human spaceflight missions demonstrates that commitment.

"Our dedicated team looks forward to continued support of Nasa’s mission to pioneer the future of space exploration."

In addition to the current contract, Lockheed Martin is also tasked with upgrading Nasa’s mission control centre, training facilities and software applications for the next generation of human spaceflight.

With anticipated completion by late 2014, the modernisation project involves offering commercial space services and future exploration programmes, aimed at reducing operational and maintenance expenses.

Defence Technology