May 23 1988
From The Space Library
NASA and the Department of Commerce awarded the first U.S. Government contract for commercial launch transportation services to a private firm. The two agencies contracted General Dynamics Space Systems Division, San Diego, California, to provide expendable launch vehicle transportation services for the Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). This contract marked the first time a contractor assumed systems performance responsibility for overall program and subcontractor management, vehicle design, production, testing and vehicle-to-payload integration, mission integration, launch services, system effectiveness, overall launch vehicle performance, and mission success.
In a related matter, NASA's Kennedy Space Center recently entered into an agreement with General Dynamics that allowed the company to use NASA Launch Complex 36 and associated facilities for commercial launch operations of the Atlas/Centaur rocket. (NASA Release 88-66; UPI, May 23/88; AP May 24/88; B Sun, May 24/88; NY Times, May 25/88; C Trib, May 26/88)
Negotiators from NASA and the government of Japan reached agreement in substance on the text of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the detailed design, development, operation, and utilization of the permanently crew-tended civil Space Station. The Japanese Science and Technology Agency would serve as NASA's counterpart in implementing this MOU.
Under the terms of the new MOU, Japan would provide the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)-a permanently attached, pressurized laboratory module, which would include an exposed facility and an experiment logistics module. The pressurized portion of the JEM would provide a shirt-sleeve environment for the Space Station crew to perform research activities. The JEM's exposed facility would be used for scientific observations, Earth observation, communications, advanced technology development and other activities requiring direct exposure to space. The experiment logistics module, which would provide transportation and storage of logistics items, would be transported to the Station by the Space Shuttle. (NASA Release 88-70)
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