Posted: Fri, Dec 21, 2007, 6:34 AM ET (1134 GMT)
NASA awarded Boeing a contract Thursday to build a new series of communications satellites for the space agency. The contract has a base value of $695 million for the development of two satellites, TDRS-K and TDRS-L, scheduled for launch in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Options for two additional spacecraft, TDRS-M and TDRS-N, would increase the contract's total value to $1.22 billion. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system provides communications services for the space shuttle, ISS, Hubble, and other missions, and will also be utilized by the Orion spacecraft when they enter service next decade. Boeing built the previous series of three TDRS satellites, and beat out a competing bid from Northrop Grumman for these new satellites.

Related Links:

•  Wall Street Journal article (subscription required)
•  AP article
•  Reuters article
•  Boeing press release
•  NASA press release