For one NoVA space and defense company, their business really is rocket science. NASA has selected McLean-based ARES Technical Services Corporation to provide launch range operations support at the Wallops Island Flight Facility.
ARES has been tapped to “deliver a wide range of mission-critical services that enable safe, reliable, and efficient launch and flight activities from Wallops.” The NASA contract has a one-year base period that begins February 10, with an option to extend services through 2031. It has a total potential value of $339.8 million, NASA says.
“Wallops has a long legacy of enabling complex, high-tempo range operations, and we are honored to build on that foundation. Our team looks forward to partnering closely with NASA and the exceptional professionals at Wallops Flight Facility to deliver safe, reliable, and forward-leaning range services that support the next generation of launch activities,” ARES CEO Thomas P’Simer said in a release.
According to the contract, ARES will provide launch support such as radar, telemetry, tracking, logistics, and communications for flight vehicles. These vehicles include rockets, aircraft, satellites, balloons, and unmanned aerial systems. ARES will also provide Information and computer systems services and range engineering support.
Founded in 1945, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility has hosted more than 16,000 launches. Visitors can view launches at the Wallops Visitor Center. Launches can also be seen from nearby Chincoteague Island, Ocean City, Maryland, and along portions of Delaware and Virginia beaches.
Feature image courtesy Chris Perry/NASA
