Feb 28 1977
From The Space Library
NASA announced that MSFC had issued requests for proposals from industry to make studies of, and supply data for NASA to use in developing techniques for packaging, transporting, fabricating, erecting, and operating large structures in space, in preparation for a major demonstration in space in 1983 or 1984. An early Shuttle flight would carry an automated beam-fabrication module to make aluminum structural members; later flights would demonstrate use of both aluminum and composite materials. After a few beams were manufactured on early flights, later missions would perform limited assembly, culminating in fabrication and erection of a large structure for continuing use, such as a 100kw solar-power facility to supplement onboard Shuttle power for various experiments.
The capacity demonstrated in these missions would aid in creating a more complex assembly as part of a space-construction base in 1985 or thereafter. The proposal called for completion in 9mo and another 2mo to prepare a report. MSFC would receive proposals until Mar. 18, 1977, and would manage the study project for the Office of Space Flight. (NASA Release 77-35)
JSC announced it had awarded a contract worth $2 million to Hamilton Standard Division, United Technologies Corp., Windsor Locks, Conn., to supply space suits for Shuttle crews. The system, an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), would consist of a suit with integrated life-support backpack for use outside the Shuttle orbiter's pressurized cabin. The suit would come in small, medium, and large upper- and lower-torso standardized sections, to replace the individualized suits of earlier manned programs. The contract called for equipment and spares for seven suits and supporting hardware, plus training, manpower, and field support at JSC and other NASA centers, at an estimated ultimate cost of about $18.5 million. (JSC Release 77-12)
JSC reported it had signed a contract valued at $200K with American Airline's maintenance and engineering center at Tulsa, Okla., for maintenance and operations support of NASA's Boeing 747 Shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905. Work would be done primarily at DFRC, site of the first atmospheric and glide-flight landing tests of the Shuttle orbiter. Eventual value of the contract could reach $806K. (JSC Release 77-13)
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