Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 mission. Photo: Ball Aerospace

KBR has won a new contract worth $51.2 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to deploy an antenna network that will monitor space weather. Under the contract, KBR will build and maintain an antenna network that sends and receives data from the Space Weather Follow-On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) observatory and its ground segment. 

SWFO-L1 is a mission planned for launch 2024 that will monitor signs of solar storms, which may pose harm to Earth’s telecommunication network. It will provide images and data to the National Weather Service for alerts and forecasting. Ball Aerospace is under contract to design and build the SWFO-L1 satellite. KBR’s network will perform telemetry, command and ranging services for the observatory’s operations.

The cost-plus-fixed-fee, five-year contract was announced Thursday. It has a total value of $51.2 million if all options are exercised. 

“Accurate space weather data helps protect national security and our economic well-being. This new contract with NOAA aligns with our sustainability principles and gives us another opportunity to use our scientific and technological expertise to build a better world,” said Byron Bright, KBR Global Government Solutions president.