Satellite ground stations. Photo: Harris Corp

[Via Satellite 05-23-2016] NASA has extended Harris Corporation’s five-year Space Communications Network Services (SCNS) program contract through two one-year options, adding $384 million of contract ceiling. Harris will continue to support SCNS, which provides most of the communications and tracking services for a wide range of Earth-orbiting spacecraft, such as the International Space Station (ISS), the Hubble Space Telescope, and Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites.

As prime contractor for SCNS, Harris also provided communications support to NASA’s successful Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 Mission in December 2015, which marked a critical step in NASA’s return to human space exploration. Harris received the new SCNS award during its third quarter of fiscal 2016.