NASA
APL will execute robotic space missions for Nasa through the full mission lifecycle. Credit: My Rotherham & Countryside.

US-based Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has received the Aerospace, Research, Development, and Engineering Support Services (ARDES) II contract from Nasa.

The award is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. It has a five-year base performance period that began on 30 March and comes with a five-year option period.

The contract comes with a minimum ordering value of $50m and a maximum ordering value for the base period of $1bn. The maximum ordering value is $2bn when the option period is included.

Additionally, the agreement allows the awarding of cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders. 

Under this contract, APL will be responsible for executing all aspects of robotic space missions ranging from developing technology concepts to analysing data for the agency.

The scope of work will cover engineering, test and assess systems, perform information technology; simulation and modelling, and analyse operations.

In September 2019, Johns Hopkins University APL in Laurel, Maryland, secured a contract modification from Nasa.

The contract modification increased the maximum potential value of ARDES contract by $200m.

The first iteration of the contract was awarded to APL in October 2006.

Last month, Nasa picked the first two scientific investigations that will support its upcoming mission to the Moon. 

The investigations will fly aboard the Gateway to provide technologies required in conducting human missions to Mars.