NASA Awards Contract for New Millennium Mission

NASA Awards Contract for New Millennium Mission

The $27 million competitively awarded contract is between Orbital and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif. JPL manages New Millennium for NASA. The Space Technology 8 satellite will validate four advanced technologies in space for possible use in future NASA science missions. The satellite consists of four payload experiments: a large flexible solar array; a 40-meter deployable boom; a high radiation environment electronics; and a spacecraft thermal control device.

The satellite is based on a lightweight, multi-role spacecraft similar to others in orbit performing communications, Earth and space science missions. It will weigh approximately 385 pounds. Orbital Sciences also will provide the mission’s Pegasus launch vehicle under a separate contract with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2009.

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