NASA Awards KBR $400M Intelligent System R&D Support Contract; Stuart Bradie Quoted

KBR has been awarded a potential eight-year, $400 million contract by NASA to support research and development of intelligent systems at the agency's Ames Research Center in California.

The company said Tuesday it will provide the center with resources and technical services for the facility's intelligent systems division to perform scientific research and develop technologies and applications.

According to KBR, it will also help NASA integrate modern information platforms into agency missions and other federal government-backed projects.

"This contract award reflects the company's stellar performance over the last decade. Through it, we will continue to assist Ames in propelling space exploration," said Stuart Bradie, KBR president and CEO.

The contract, won through a recompete, has two base years and three two-year options.

KBR recently partnered with NASA Johnson Space Center to provide human spaceflight operation services to commercial companies, becoming the first company to provide such support with the use of the agency's facilities and platforms.

In addition, NASA asked the company to train private astronauts in various spaceflight tasks such as operation of onboard International Space Station systems, ISS crew integration, routine operational task performance, health maintenance and emergency response.

The company will also provide medical operations and services before, during and after spaceflights, as well as mission planning, training and execution. KBR will train astronauts for private space travel to the ISS.

KBR currently trains and provides medical support to NASA and ISS international partner astronauts and supports all planning and execution aspects of mission operations. The company will additionally provide specialized services to support the agency’s astronauts.

“This historic agreement is a testament to KBR's long standing partnership with NASA. We will continue to work together to propel NASA’s mission to fuel a low-Earth orbit economy and advance the future of commercial space,” Bradie said.