DOD Contracts News Release: No. 194-97 April 23, 1997
ARMY - CONTRACTS
General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $5,401,936 cost plus fixed fee contract for the research, development, test and evaluation of advanced in-core thermionic technologies to support long duration space missions for national security purposes. Focus is on the advancement of thermionic performance rather than an overall system design improvement since no specific mission has yet been identified on which to base detailed system requirements. The objectives of the Advanced Thermionic Program (ATP) are to advance the state of the art of thermionic power conversion in the United States, develop high performance and highly reliable thermionic converters that provide high output power per unit of system mass, demonstrate the capabilities of these thermionic converters, show their feasibility for use in thermionic systems, and develop corresponding system level conceptual designs. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (91%); and Auburn, Ala. (9%), and is expected to be completed by August 14, 1999. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There were 32 bids solicited on Oct. 18, 1996, and three bids were received. The contracting activity is the Defense Special Weapons Agency, Alexandria, Va. (DSWA01-97-C-0088).
