NRO Awards Satellite Vehicle Processing Facility Contract

August 7, 2001

The National Reconnaissance Office awarded a Satellite Vehicle Processing Facility contract for $24.09 million to Spaceport Systems International. The ten-year contract is for payload processing support for NRO missions to be launched on the Boeing Delta IV from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

The government will save money by having payload processing support provided by SSI as opposed to doing it at the NRO's payload processing facility at Vandenberg AFB. This is due to modifications that would have to be made to that facility over the next ten years.

"This is another example of how we are being the best stewards of the taxpayer's money," said Colonel Stephen Wojcicki, the NRO's Director of Launch. "We took a close look at our launch support process and determined the most cost effective option without sacrificing mission objectives."

Spaceport Systems International is a limited partnership between ITT Industries, Systems Division of Colorado Springs, Colo. and the Snelling Trust of Santa Maria, Calif. The NRO will use DDI's Integrated Processing facility at Vandenberg for spacecraft processing activities.