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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 AC 713 483-5111

Rh Kari Fluegel Release No. 90-016

Lockheed, Rockwell Teams Selected for ACRV Definition Contracts

Two teams of aerospace companies will begin negotiations with NASA for contracts for the definition and preliminary design of the Assured Crew Return Vehicle, a rescue system for Space Station Freedom.

The two teams headed by Lockheed Missiles and Space Company Inc. and Rockwell International Space Transportation Systems Division will enter into negotiations with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with contracts becoming effective April 1, 1990.

Lockheed is teamed with Boeing Aerospace and Electronics Co. and IBM Systems Integration Division, while Rockwell is teamed with McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Division, TRW and Honeywell. The two teams were the only compliant responses received after release of the request for proposals in November.

Each team will conduct a six-month Phase A Prime study, valued at approximately $1.5 million, to establish a common set of requirements for the ACRV and answer specific questions regarding configuration and external interfaces. The 12-month Phase B option, valued at $4.5 million, would result in the detailed definition of a preliminary design.

The ACRV, formerly known as the Crew Emergency Return Vehicle (CERV), will provide on-orbit emergency capability for the Space Station Freedom crew to return to Earth independent of the space shuttle in the event of medical emergency, space station contingency or Space Transportation System launch schedule interuption.

A third response to the request for proposals was received from Vanguard Research Inc. of Fairfax, Virgina, but was found to be non-compliant.

The program is managed by the ACRV Project Office in the New Initiatives office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.