NORTHROP, BOEING TEAM IN SPACE BID INDUSTRIAL GIANTS HOPE FOR NASA CONTRACTS TO PUT MEN ON MOON, MARS.Byline: Felix Sanchez Staff Writer Defense giants Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company is the third largest defense contractor for the U.S. Corp. and the Boeing Co. will work together on a proposal to replace the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. with the next generation of vehicles that will take astronauts to the moon and Mars, the companies announced Tuesday. If the two aerospace companies secure the multibillion-dollar contract, it is likely to mean an economic boost and possibly new jobs for Century City-based Northrop and Boeing's space divisions, including propulsion and power operations in Canoga Park, which designed and built the main engines for the current space shuttle fleet. The two aerospace companies will bid to design and build a crew exploration vehicle
The Crew Exploration Vehicle (or CEV) was the conceptual component of the Vision for Space Exploration that later became known as the Orion spacecraft. as part of the first phase of Project Constellation Project Constellation is a NASA program to create a new generation of spacecraft for human spaceflight, consisting primarily of the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the Orion crew capsule, the Earth Departure Stage and the Lunar Surface Access Module. , which eventually would explore the moon and travel to Mars. Boeing and Northrop Grumman will also compete on future elements of the program. ``We feel it brings together the best in the industry to provide NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. the best value for the challenges they face,'' said Doug Young For the ice hockey player, see . Meredith Douglas "Doug" Young, PC (born September 20 1940) is a Canadian politician. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1978 as a Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). , an executive in Northrop Grumman's systems-integration sector. ``Together we have a tremendous amount of experience - space-flight experience,'' said Chuck Allen Charles R. Allen (born September 7, 1939 in Cle Elum, Washington) is a former American collegiate and professional football player. He was a linebacker who played for the American Football League's San Diego Chargers, and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, and Philadelphia Eagles. , Boeing vice president for space-exploration systems. ``A lot of that experience, for Boeing, resides in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, .'' The legacy of companies that make up Boeing, such as Rockwell International, spans programs including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the International Space Station. Allen declined to put a figure onto the potential economic impact for the companies and the region if the contract is won, but the project is expected to generate new jobs. ``The truth is, it is a little too early to tell,'' Allen said, ``but obviously, we both have facilities in the Southern California area.'' The agreement by Northrop and Boeing creates a team structure for the bid to build NASA's crew-exploration vehicle and other aspects of Project Constellation. Under the proposal, Northrop would serve as team leader and prime contractor for the initial development of the vehicle, called Spiral 1. Boeing would be Northrop's teammate and major subcontractor during this first phase. Boeing would take the leading role for Spiral 2, when the focus would shift from low Earth orbit (communications) low earth orbit - (LEO) The kind of orbit used by communications satellites that will offer high bandwidth for video on demand, television, and Internet communications. to transporting astronauts to the moon and Mars. The formal competition for development of the vehicle is expected to begin in 2005. The space agency is likely to choose two teams to work on the vehicle. One team is expected to be chosen to build the craft, which could be operational as early as 2014. Lockheed Martin Corp. and Orbital Science Corp. are also expected to bid on the project and could join forces to offer a rival team bid, aerospace analyst Paul Nisbet of JSA JSA - Japanese Standards Association. Research told The Associated Press. Nisbet said the contracts are not expected to contribute significantly to either company's profits. ``It's more of a prestige item,'' Nisbet said. ``It's not one that is going to make either company very rich. These one-of-a-kind items are almost always cost-plus contracts, with very little profit for the prime contractors.'' Northrop and Boeing were awarded contracts earlier this year to help NASA develop its ``system of systems'' architecture for Project Constellation, a broad mandate to define designs and cost estimates for crew vehicles and other elements of the program. Northrop and Boeing said they would continue to work on those contracts and deliver separate reports to NASA. In trading on the New York Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) World's largest marketplace for securities. The exchange began as an informal meeting of 24 men in 1792 on what is now Wall Street in New York City. , Boeing shares rose 64 cents to close at $52.51, while Northrop shares fell 11 cents, to $54.40. Lockheed shares lost 19 cents to close at $57.01. Felix Sanchez, (562) 499-1297 felix.sanchez(at)presstelegram.com. |
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