NASA to announce spacesuit contractor

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency said it plans to announce soon its Constellation spacesuit contract award.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said it will make the announcement of the selection of the contractor next Thursday afternoon.

NASA said the spacesuit system contract is for the design, development, testing, evaluation, production, processing and sustaining engineering of extravehicular activity equipment to support astronauts aboard the Orion crew exploration vehicle and the Altair lunar lander. The Constellation Program is aimed at carrying astronauts on trips to the International Space Station and, later, to the moon.

The space agency said the spacsesuit and support systems must be able to provide protection against the launch and landing environments and spacecraft cabin leaks, as well as offering contingency spacewalk capability. For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support a week's worth of moon walks.

NASA said suits and support systems will be needed for as many as four astronauts on moon voyages, and for up to six space station travelers.