WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- NASA announced Wednesday the awarding of 90-day study contracts to four U.S. space-related companies.
The contractors are separately to examine long-term ground processing and infrastructure planning for the space agency's Constellation Program.
The research is expected to support ground systems and operations planning through 2030 -- including missions supporting the International Space Station, lunar exploration and Mars exploration -- NASA said.
Study recommendations will be considered in the Kennedy Space Center's planning for the Ares I crew launch vehicle, Ares V cargo launch vehicle operations and crew exploration vehicle processing.
The contracts should be completed in October.
Contract awardees are: ATK Launch Systems Group, Corrine, Utah; Boeing Space Operations Co., Titusville, Fla.; Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colo., and United Space Alliance, Houston. The awards are limited to $150,000 per contract.
"These four companies will provide several possible solutions to the same challenges, which we expect to benefit our planning," said Pepper Phillips, deputy director of NASA's Constellation Project Office. "Selecting ground processing and launch concepts are long-term commitments and we want to consider all options."
