Week in review (7/16 to 7/22)

Another commercial space company is using Stennis Space Center, Miss., to test rocket engines. Relativity Space of Los Angeles is still keeping mum about its work, but the co-founder and CEO Tim Ellis during a Capitol Hill meeting said the company is testing at SSC.

The meeting was before the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competiveness and the focus was on public-private space partnerships.

"Relativity has begun testing of our liquid oxygen/liquid methane engine with over six dozen hot fires across multiple test articles at NASA Stennis Space Center, with plans for continued routine testing," said Ellis, a former engineer with Blue Origin. His partner, Jordan Noone, was formerly with SpaceX. (Post)

Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi is the largest rocket engine test facility in the nation. Engines for NASA projects, as well as those of private companies for their own projects, are conducted at the center, which has a huge buffer zone. Rolls-Royce also tests jet engines at the facility.

Bases

Rear Adm. Kyle J. Cozad took the helm of the Naval Education and Training Command during a ceremony during the week at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Cozad, a P-3 Orion pilot who helped lead the Navy’s recent transition to the P-8 Poseidon, took over from Rear Adm. Michael S. White.

The command includes more than 12,500 military, civilian and contract employees who support 236 detachments worldwide. About 30,000 students are in training provided by the Pensacola-based command on any given day. (Post)

Airports

Frontier Airlines announced during the week that it is adding new service in New Orleans and Pensacola, Fla. The company, based in Denver, announced 21 new cities that will be served by the low-fare carrier as part of their nationwide network expansion.

Beginning in the spring of 2018, Frontier Airlines will offer non-stop service to Denver, Colo., from Pensacola International Airport. In New Orleans, the airline is adding flights to Austin and San Antonio, Texas, Islip, N.Y., and Providence, R.I. The announcement increases the number of destinations served by the carrier by 30 percent and double the number of total routes. (Post)

Contracts

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $75 million contract for Small Diameter Bomb II technical support. Contractor will provide lifecycle technical support throughout engineering and manufacturing development, production, and sustainment phases. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be complete by July 25, 2024. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Williams Electric Co. Inc., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was among three companies awarded a $270 million contract for personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, non-personal services and other items necessary to procure, install, service and maintain electronic security systems. The other two companies are Indyne Inc., of Reston, Va., and Spectrum Solutions Inc., of Madison, Ala. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated
completion date of March 20, 2022. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Support Center, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity. … CYE Enterprises Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., was awarded a $25 million contract for the repair and/or replacement of roofs. This contract provides for the furnishing of all plant, labor, materials and equipment, and all other items or services necessary to perform all operations in connection with the repair and replacement of roofs on an as-needed basis at various facilities. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2022. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity.