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MDA Gets $1.7M Contract for U.S. Satellite Servicing Program

By Staff Writer | January 29, 2004

      MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates’ (MDA) MD Robotics subsidiary has been awarded an additional C$2.3 million (US$1.7 million) contract by Boeing [NYSE: BA] to provide elements for the Orbital Express program, a U.S. technology demonstrator to reconfigure and refuel satellites on orbit.

      MDA won a contract in May 2002 to provide the robotics system that will capture satellites and perform servicing, the ground segment to monitor and control the robotic operations, and all orbital replacement unit (ORU) containers and interfaces that will become standard on future missions. The new tasks include a camera system for monitoring the on-orbit docking operations, additional ground test equipment to support end-to-end system level tests, and flight support equipment for the ORU containers and other robotic elements. Orbital Express is funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and is scheduled to be launched in 2006.