General Dynamics Awarded Contract for NASA’s Landsat Data Continuity Mission Study

FAIRFAX, Va. – General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) Spacecraft Accommodation study contract by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The contract, awarded through the Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO), is valued at $600,000 with a four-month period of performance.

For this study, General Dynamics will identify a design for the spacecraft and provide an assessment of various mission topics to meet performance requirements. These include developing a spacecraft that will accommodate the Landsat instruments and identifying methods of achieving mission objectives. Following completion of this study, NASA will issue a Request for Offer (RFO) in order to choose a contractor to build the LDCM Observatory.

For more than 30 years, Landsat satellites have collected data of the Earth’s continental surfaces to support global change research and applications. LDCM is the future of Landsat satellites. It will continue to obtain valuable data and imagery to be used in agriculture, education, business, science and government.

“General Dynamics is applying its flexible and efficient approach to provide a design to meet the schedule and cost requirements of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission,” said David Shingledecker, vice president and general manager of integrated space systems for General Dynamics. “We appreciate the opportunity that NASA has given to us to participate in this study and look forward to helping NASA continue the Landsat heritage of success.”

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, operates and maintains mission systems for defense, space, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, homeland security and homeland defense customers. Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., the company specializes in ground systems; imagery processing; mission payloads; space vehicles; maritime subsurface, surface and airborne mission systems; and tasking, collection, processing, exploitation and dissemination programs for national intelligence. More information is available on the Internet at www.gd-ais.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 82,600 people worldwide and had 2006 revenues of $24.1 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.  More information about the company is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.