Lockheed Martin Space Operations announced that its Consolidated Space Operations Contract (CSOC) has successfully assumed responsibility for the Kennedy Data Network (KDN) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida.

This transfer of authority to CSOC was the first phase of CSOC's Option 3, which consolidates the KSC communications infrastructure for the NASA KSC Spaceport Services (TA) organization. NASA chose to exercise Option 3 because of its anticipated cost savings to the Agency.

In addition to taking over the Kennedy Data Network (KDN), Phase 1 includes Channel 60 (cable) support, maintenance of hand-held radios, and the maintenance of engineering and system hardware on the page and area warning system in the KSC Industrial Area.

"We are very pleased with how smoothly this transition has gone," said Brian Duffy, CSOC's associate program manager at KSC. "The seamless completion of Phase 1 was completed without interruption of service to our customers in a completely invisible manner."

Phase 2 of the Option 3 transition will occur in January, 2002 and be closely followed Phase 3, which will transition the communications services being performed by United Space Alliance (USA) as a portion of the Space Flight Operations Contract (SFOC) on October 1, 2002.

"I am confident that the smooth transition of Phase 1 will be representative of the future transitions being planned for the near future," said Doug Tighe, program manager for CSOC. "Once completely in place, the various phases of Option 3 will produce immediate and substantial cost savings to our Customer."

In addition its Option 3 responsibilities, CSOC is responsible for a variety of other programs supporting KSC, including the management of the Wide Area Network (WAN), which connects NASA centers; NASA's Intregrated Services Network (NISN), which includes the Video Teleconferencing System (ViTS), Voice Teleconferencing (VoTS), office telecom support; and the development of the Real-Time Operating System (RTS) portion of NASA's Checkout and Launch Control System (CLCS) development project at KSC.

CSOC is a $3-billion-plus contract awarded by NASA to Lockheed Martin, who serves as the prime contractor to provide end-to-end space operations Mission and Data Services to both NASA and non-NASA customers. CSOC manages the majority of NASA's data collection, telemetry and communications operations that support Earth-orbiting satellites, planetary exploration, and human space flight activities. Services include data acquisition from spacecraft, data transmission to end-users, data processing and storage, ground and space communications, and mission control center operations.

CSOC is part of Lockheed Martin Space Operations (LMSO), a business unit of Lockheed Martin Technology Services headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. LMSO, a high-tech engineering and science services firm, employs about 4,000 engineers, scientists and support personnel. Services include managing CSOC; software and hardware engineering for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station; mission operations and planning systems design, development, and integration; and human life sciences research.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Space Operations