Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) won the contract to build a vehicle to replace NASA's space shuttles, put a human on the moon for the first time since 1972 and be the precursor to a manned spaceship to Mars, according to this WashingtonPost.com article.
NASA has planned on replacing the shuggle since the mid-1980's. The vehicle, known as Orion, will be able to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station and is expected to make its first manned flight by 2014.
Winning the contract was somewhat unexpected for Lockheed, the Pentagon's largest contractor. The other competitor, Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC), was considered the front-runner because along with its subcontractor, Boeing Co. (BA), it has been involved with all of the country's manned space programs. Lockheed also has had a long history with NASA, though not entirely positive, and not predominantly with manned vehicles.
Know More about winning contracts at LandingTheDeal.com.
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