SMTEK Wins $7-Million Space Station Contract

SMTEK Inc., a Chatsworth company that provides mechanical and electronic engineering services and robotic assembly, said it won a contract from Martin Marietta Corp. worth nearly $7 million. The contract calls for SMTEK to provide engineering, design, thermal and structural analysis, assembly and test services for electronic assemblies related to the Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) program.

The FTS program, managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Center, calls for a robot with maneuverable arms and video cameras to assist space shuttle astronauts in the assembly and maintenance of the proposed space station Freedom. The robot is intended to reduce the number of space walks that astronauts will be required to take to build and maintain the orbiting laboratory.