Ball to purchase STP-SIV hardware

BOULDER, Colo., July 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has contracted Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. to continue support for the Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle spacecraft.

Colorado-based Ball was contracted by the Air Force to procure long-lead hardware for the second STP-SIV spacecraft. The $13.4 million follow-on contract will go to support the Air Force Space Development and Test Wing's Space Development Group.

The STP-SIV space vehicle, part of the Air Force's Operationally Responsive Space strategy, is a project to develop a common spacecraft bus with a standard payload interface to advance Defense Department space technology.

"This type of arrangement, in addition to driving down costs, enhances U.S. space superiority by supporting the Operationally Responsive Space strategy," Drew Crouch, Ball Aerospace National Defense business unit vice president and general manager, said in a statement.