Danish Aerospace Company A/S has signed the first part of a contract for delivery of its new generation of exercise ergometers to NASA. This is the first time NASA orders DACs new generation of FERGO space ergometers.
Danish Aerospace Company A/S in Odense has today signed the first part of a new purchase order for delivery of its FERGO space ergometers to NASA via NASA’s subcontractor Jacobs Technology in Houston. Hereby NASA becomes the first customer to DAC’s new generation of ergometers for human spaceflight – FERGO, which has been under internal development in the company for the past three to four years.
The first FERGO-ergometer will be delivered to NASA in the spring of 2020, and the launch of the FERGO ergometer to the International Space Station is expected towards early 2021.
The company’s CEO Thomas A. E. Andersen, is extremely pleased with the new big order:
”During the last three to four years we have invested extensively in the development of FERGO, so we were ready for this day, where NASA has chosen to replace our, by now, aging CEVIS ergometers on ISS. Thus, it is extremely satisfying that this order finally has been signed. The astronauts need for daily exercise while living on the International Space Station is on average two hours per day, in order to compensate for the lack of gravity.
Our present CEVIS ergometers has been extremely reliable and has an excellent reputation, which also has helped pave the way for this new contract.” says Thomas A. E. Andersen.
This is the first time in 9 years that NASA, via its US subcontractor Jacobs Technology, ordered new ergometers in Denmark. Since 1992, DAC has built and delivered 10 Shuttle Cycle Ergometers for NASAs Space Shuttle program and 4 for the Mir and the International Space Station ISS, together with a long series of upgrades and spare parts over the years.
Since 1993 DAC have had a series of running sustaining contracts with various NASA subcontractors for Ergometers and their use on the Space Shuttles, Mir and today on ISS.
In the late 1980s DAC began to develop space ergometers for the European Space Agency (ESA) after which NASA discovered the Danish companies space ergometer and changed to these. Since then DAC has been a regular supplier of space ergometers to NASA. The subcontract is implemented through NASA’s subcontractor Jacobs Technology in Houston.
The total value of the combined purchase (Part 1 and Part 2) will be a little over 10 million Danish kroner (DKK) and it will last approximately two years with delivery of 2 flight ergometers and 1 training ergometer, together with a series of spares to NASAs subcontractor Jacobs Technology.
For further information:
Danish Aerospace Company A/S:
CEO Thomas A.E. Andersen
Cell: +45 40 29 41 62
Phone: +45 63 10 70 17
Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.