Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC) President and CEO Craig Campbell announced the winner of the request for proposals to provide medium lift launch capability at the Kodiak Launch Complex. Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services submitted the winning bid and has been given an "Intent to Award" letter from AAC.

"I am very excited about this announcement because we will be expanding the capabilities of the Kodiak Launch Complex to meet both the commercial and government demand for medium weight satellite launch capabilities and adding more business to the Alaska economy," Campbell said.

"The RFP process was successful because it provided competition, increased industry awareness of the launch opportunities from Kodiak, and resulted in a lower cost option to bring medium lift capability to Alaska."

The Lockheed Martin proposal is based on making modifications to the existing small-lift launch facilities at Kodiak to provide medium-lift capability using an upgraded version of the Athena rocket family, the Athena IIS.

AAC and Lockheed Martin will now begin negotiating the details of the construction, but this will not interfere with our existing customer requirement to have the damaged launch complex reconstruction completed by October of 2015.

Much of the design work for medium lift capability has already been finished. Engineers from both AAC and Lockheed Martin will coordinate and integrate design plans to meet the needs of Lockheed Martin's Athena IIS rocket, while continuing to provide small lift capability from the launch facility.

"When we originally met with Lockheed Martin to provide medium lift capability at Kodiak, we thought we would need a significantly larger investment," Campbell said. "I am pleased to see, through increased competition, that the price is much lower, and we will be able to complete the process with the money already appropriated by the State of Alaska."

"With more business, comes more high-tech career opportunities and we can finally reduce some of the brain-drain from Alaska," Campbell said. "I can't wait for the home-grown aerospace engineers to have the opportunity to build and fly their satellites from our state."