USA History
August 1995
NASA announces its intention to consolidate 12 Space Shuttle program contracts under a single prime contractor. More than 40 companies respond to the request for proposals.August 1995
Rockwell International and the Lockheed Martin Space Operations Company agree to form United Space Alliance.November 1995
NASA announces the selection of USA as the single prime contractor for Shuttle operations.September 1996
USA and NASA sign the Space Flight Operations Contract (SFOC) at the Johnson Space Center.October 1996
The SFOC becomes effective. Rockwell’s employees at the NASA Shuttle Logistics Depot join USA.November 1996
The first Space Shuttle flight managed by USA, STS-80, launches from the Kennedy Space Center on a 17-day mission.December 1996
The Boeing Company purchases the aerospace and defense components of Rockwell Corporation, including its share in USA.July 1998
NASA adds more than $900 million in additional work to the SFOC, including Solid Rocket Booster assembly and refurbishment previously performed by USBI at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Shuttle flight software design, production and verification from Lockheed Martin in Houston, and flight crew equipment processing from Boeing Aerospace Operations, also in Houston. Flight software and flight crew equipment processing employees join USA. USBI employees join USA in October 1999.September 2001
NASA exercises the first two-year option of the SFOC, keeping USA as prime contractor for the Space Shuttle program through 2004.August 2004
NASA exercises the second two-year option of the SFOC, keeping USA as prime contractor for the Shuttle program through 2006. NASA also announces that it has begun proceedings to establish a new contract that will assure USA will remain NASA’s contractor for Space Shuttle operations through the planned retirement of the Shuttle fleet.October 2006
The SFOC ends and NASA awards USA the Space Program Operations Contract (SPOC).
Contract Overview
Space Program Operations Contract
Recognizing USA’s contribution, NASA authorized the SPOC to follow completion of the SFOC. When finalized, the four-year contract will cover space operations through September 2010. USA is currently working to finalize details of the contract valued at $1.1 billion for the first six months. Under SPOC, USA will continue Space Shuttle Program operations and related support for the Constellation Program.Space Flight Operations Contract
A new era in space operations began October 1, 1996, when United Space Alliance assumed prime responsibility for the day-to-day operations of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program under the Space Flight Operations Contract (SFOC) with the goal of streamlining operations to provide greater efficiency and reliability.The SFOC is the result of a NASA decision, based on the recommendations of a blue-ribbon aerospace advisory panel, to turn Space Shuttle Operations over to one aerospace operator and make it responsible for what dozens of contractors had done previously – a bold move to reduce the overall cost of human space flight while maintaining the most demanding standards for safety and mission success.
The SFOC is performance-based, placing strong emphasis on achieving quality results rather than just providing services. It is specifically written to meet NASA’s primary goals of flying the Space Shuttle safely, meeting the flight manifest and improving the processes and systems.
Under this precedent-setting concept, NASA assigned greater responsibility to the contractor, relinquishing the government’s oversight role in day-to-day Space Shuttle operations while still retaining ultimate responsibility for safety, the flight manifest, final launch authority and high-level management of this national asset.
The first phase began in late 1996 when 12 operational and facility contracts previously held by Lockheed Martin and Rockwell International Space Systems Division (now part of The Boeing Company) were assigned to USA. Of the 14 remaining major contracts targeted for consolidation, eight were transferred to USA under Phase II - the last being the Solid Rocket Booster Element in 1998. In all, 31 different contracts – 23 of them prime - have been consolidated under the Space Flight Operations Contract.
As NASA’s principal partner in the day-to-day management of the Space Shuttle fleet, as well as International Space Station planning, training and operations, USA has more than 10,000 employees working in Texas, Florida and Alabama. This veteran aerospace workforce is the most experienced in the world and brings a broad range of expertise to the job including:
- Mission Design and Planning
- Flight Operations
- Software Development and Integration
- Payload Integration
- Integrated Logistics
- Astronaut and Flight Controller Training
- Vehicle Processing, Launch and Recovery
- Vehicle & Infrastructure Upgrades
- Flight Hardware Design Engineering
The SFOC was established as a six-year pact that included two, two-year extension options. In August 2002, NASA exercised the first option through September 2004. In August 2004, NASA announced it was exercising the second two-year option through September 2006, bringing the total SFOC award value to $16.8 billion. At the same time, NASA announced that it would award a follow-on contract to USA for continued Shuttle operations.
With increased safety margins and decreased costs, the SFOC is a highly successful model for government contracting, and USA a benchmark for operations performance. As the nation begins to pursue the Vision for Space Exploration, USA’s capabilities and expertise in managing complex programs while meeting the customer’s expectations, positions the company well to play a key role in the future exploration of space.
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