The 1,600-plus technical professionals of Jacobs’ Engineering and Science Contract Group (ESCG) provide space systems-centric engineering and science services at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA’s primary center for design, development, and testing of spacecraft and associated systems for human flight. Services include providing engineering products and services, including flight systems analysis, for the International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle, and other spacecraft flight programs; design, development, certification, and production of hardware and software; operation and maintenance of on-site laboratories and facilities; and research and development for new technology. We also provide cleanroom and facilities maintenance support for the curation of astromaterials collections.

ESCG’s 800-member Scientific, Engineering, and Analytical Support (SEAS) Department professionals certify flight hardware, primarily for the Space Shuttle and ISS. Specifically, we perform high force vibration testing for those programs as well as sinusoidal, random, and shock testing, and we perform orbital debris analysis and the inspection and repair of Shuttle tiles. In addition, we perform noise emission testing for ISS noise control, measuring and evaluating the noise of instruments and electronics. We perform testing and analysis for space programs and related hardware in more than 11 thermal vacuum chambers, with notable support to Chambers A and B, and including three ambient pressure chambers. We also support testing in five altitude chambers, three of which are man rated. In the 25x26-ft Chamber B, we support the environmental simulation testing to test and analyze the integrity of the astronauts’ space suits in order to ensure that they will function in a breadth of environments similar to those found internally and externally on the ISS and Shuttle.

Our Systems Engineering (SE) processes, while providing consistent configuration management, are inherently adaptable to support the contract’s baseline, IDIQ, and Level of Effort requirements. S ince contract start, intensive engineering activities have supported RTF efforts and other space vehicles and related systems. For example, we have performed ISS loads analyses, Shuttle payload structural analyses, thermal protection system repair procedures, new sensor system development for Shuttle return-to-flight, and the ISS Treadmill Vibration Isolation System, which is also applicable to structural analysis.