FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Susan Schonfeld, Space Services Inc.
Phone: +1.845.364.5309, +1.281.971.4019

NOAA AWARDS SPACE SERVICES INC. A CONTRACT TO ASSESS NEXT GENERATION SOLAR WIND AND ADVANCED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SPACE SYSTEMS

A team led by Space Services Inc. (SSI), a client of the Houston Technology Center, has been awarded a contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assess commercial opportunities in developing and deploying next generation solar wind and telecommunications space systems. The SSI team, comprised of private companies, will examine cutting edge technologies to achieve detection of solar storms.

The effort will also examine innovative, commercially- driven technological and financial approaches to meeting the requirements of NOAA -- and its partner agency, the National Science Foundation -- for solar storm warning and Antarctic telecommunications services. The team will explore the possibility that a revolutionary spacecraft, powered by advanced solar sail technology and located deep in space, can effectively detect solar storms. Solar storms occur regularly in space and can have severe consequences here on Earth. These storms can interfere with global communications networks, disrupt power distribution via utility grids, require air travel rerouting, and threaten astronauts in space. For example, a recent solar storm disrupted emergency communications during hurricane Katrina. Advanced warning of solar storms helps engineers manage and avoid the effects of such storms, especially as our world becomes progressively more dependent on high tech power and telecommunications networks.

The SSI-led team includes the right mix of well established and entrepreneurial companies -- leaders in their fields -- to provide NOAA with a realistic assessment of the commercial possibilities for meeting NOAA’s needs. “We’re delighted to be going to work for them. We also believe that, increasingly, a commercial approach to space infrastructure development, whenever feasible, is the best value approach for both meeting US government needs and encouraging the further development of the new commercial space industry,” said Charles M. Chafer, CEO of Houston, Texas based Space Services Inc.

Other members of the team include:

Ecliptic Enterprises Corp. (Pasadena, CA); a space technology firm that produces the world’s leading brand of onboard video and imaging systems for use with rockets, spacecraft and other remote platforms. Ecliptic’s CEO Rex Ridenoure said, “This NOAA effort is a good example of how commercial approaches and solutions might be extended beyond Earth-orbiting comsat and remote-sensing missions into the deep-space arena. We’re pleased to be on the team.”

Legacy Equity Group, LLC (Houston, TX); a merchant banking firm based on the fundamental business and human behavioral principles of its founders as a profitable, ongoing, multi-generational business/deal flow incubator;

L’Garde, Inc. (Tustin, CA); a world leader in analyzing, designing, manufacturing, testing and flying inflatable space structural systems;

Raytheon’s Intelligence & Information Systems - Space Systems (Aurora, CO); an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business aviation and special mission aircraft. "Raytheon's participation in this program is another example of Raytheon's commitment to NOAA's long term vision," notes Ray Kolibaba, Vice President of Raytheon’s Space Systems;

Southwest Research Institute (Boulder, CO and San Antonio, TX); which are providing the expertise for the science instrument package to define and develop the solar wind instrumentation and solar storm warning capability; and

SpaceQuest, Ltd. (Fairfax, VA); a leading developer of advanced micro satellite technology, specializing in the design, development and testing of space and ground components for operation with orbiting satellites.

###