The Air Force gave Northrop Grumman Corp. a $29.8 million contract change to provide spacecraft support.

Northrop unit Space and Mission Systems Corp., part of the Space Technology unit, in Redondo Beach, Calif., will provide for the defense support program (DSP) spacecraft post- production support contract.

As well, the company will provide storage and storage support of the DSP satellites in accordance with satellites environmental requirements, annual testing of stored satellites, trend analysis, integration returns (repairs and return failed/obsolete component), and perform safety analysis and load analysis, and maintain all launch vehicle and launch site interface documentation.

The company also will meet all launch site safety requirements, perform multiple readiness reviews and rehearsals, test and prepare the satellite for the launch site, perform launch vehicle integration, perform multiple integrated system testing, sustain engineering of the on-orbit satellites (multiple block build), and provide early on orbit testing support for newly launched satellites.

Northrop also will provide anomaly resolution and flight operations support for the DSP constellation, operational performance analysis for performance assessment, and mission performance improvement, including recommendations for retrofitting satellites in storage.

The work will be completed by the end of September under the contract, which is handled by the Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.