NASA Awards $387.24 Million Contract to Southwest Research Institute for Magnetospheric Mission

Original title: National Aeronautics and Space Administration → SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE ($387.24M)

space exploration scientific research federal funding aerospace engineering

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The Frame

What this does

This contract provides $387.24 million in federal funding to the Southwest Research Institute to manage the scientific operations and hardware development for a major NASA heliophysics mission.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Southwest Research Institute

The institute is the recipient of the $387.24 million award and is contractually obligated to perform the specified mission tasks.

NASA

The agency is providing the funding and overseeing the mission requirements and project milestones.

What changed

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What's next

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Summary

NASA has awarded a $387.24 million contract to the Southwest Research Institute to lead the science team for the mission. The institute will oversee the design, development, and operation of instrument suites used to study magnetic reconnection and turbulence in space.

Key Facts

NASA awarded $387.24 million to the Southwest Research Institute for the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission.
The institute serves as the Principal Investigator institution for the Instrument Suite Science Team (ISST).
The contractor is responsible for leading the Solving Magnetospheric Acceleration Reconnection and Turbulence (SMART) team.
Scope includes managing mission phases B through E.
The institute must design, fabricate, integrate, calibrate, test, and deliver four flight-qualified instrument suites plus spares.
The contractor is responsible for the design, development, and testing of the Science Operations Center (SOC).
The institute must provide sustaining engineering and support for instrument suites after delivery.
The contractor is responsible for on-orbit health, safety, and operation of the instrument suites.
The institute must manage subcontracts with international team members and maintain ITAR and export control documentation.
The contract requires the implementation of an Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program.

Why It Matters

This contract provides $387.24 million in federal funding to the Southwest Research Institute to manage the scientific operations and hardware development for a major NASA heliophysics mission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this NASA contract?

The contract funds the Southwest Research Institute to lead the science team and manage the development and operation of instrument suites for the mission.

What specific tasks is the Southwest Research Institute responsible for?

They are responsible for defining science goals, building and testing flight instruments, operating the Science Operations Center, managing international subcontracts, and ensuring the health and safety of the instruments while in orbit.

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Discoveries

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International Collaboration Requirements

The contract explicitly mandates the management of international subcontracts and ITAR compliance, highlighting the global nature of modern NASA science missions.

Southwest Research Institute National Aeronautics and Space Administration