Poly picosatellite orbital deployers contract

Added: Sep 24, 2010 7:24 am Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployers, or P-POD, service contract to CaliforniaPolytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Calif. This new contract is anindefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity award for five years with a maximum cumulativepotential value of $5 million. The award will provide a broad range of P-POD services forNASA's CubeSat program.CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shapedsatellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weighless than 2.2 pounds.NASA has adapted the P-POD system for a series of small university-class, student-builtsatellite missions as part of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites program. This isintended to advance the objectives of the science, technology, engineering andmathematics programs within educational institutions.The first launch is planned aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base,Calif., in October 2011, on a mission to launch a polar-orbiting weather andenvironmental satellite.NASA's Launch Services Program office at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida isresponsible for management of the P-POD contract.