Nasa has awarded $400m worth of contracts to 11 companies to support research and technology development for aerospace systems at its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

The space agency gave the contracts under its basic and applied aerospace technology (BAART) multiple-awards contract.

The contract is a five year long multiple-award, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract which will begin from next month in which Nasa divided the work into five research categories.

"The contract is a five year long multiple-award, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity contract which will begin from next month."

Six companies have been chosen in the category of advanced materials and structural systems, aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, and acoustics.

The companies include Alliant Techsystems Operations, Analytical Services & Materials, Aurora Flight Sciences, Lockheed Martin and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

The agency chose ViGYAN for systems analysis and concepts.

The entry, descent, and landing contract has been awarded to four companies, Alliant Techsystems Operations, Analytical Services & Materials, Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Boeing.

For measurement systems and autonomous technologies, Nasa chose Alliant Techsystems Operations, Northrop Grumman Systems, Boeing and ViGYAN.

Seven companies including Aurora Flight Sciences, Engility, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman Systems, Rockwell Collins, Saab Sensis and Boeing have been awarded contract under flight-critical and intelligent flight systems.

The BAART contract aims to support basic and applied research, technology concepts, analysis, development and integration; systems concepts, analysis development and integration; and technology demonstrations.

The research work will focus on building fundamental tool and technology development of new aerospace system.