THE LABORATORY SERVICES AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS (LASSO)

The Laboratory Services and Support Operations (LASSO) contract operates and maintains a diverse set of laboratories, development shops, and test facilities to provide services for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), the country’s premiere spaceport for government and commercial launch vehicles.

LASSO’s scope included both operational and research laboratories and spans a wide range of disciplines, many of which may not be traditional NASA technologies, including plant biology, geology, mechanical engineering, surface science, and material science. The contract lasted for five years, and it ended on March 31, 2023.

SURA and its member universities partnered with Amentum on the LASSO contract to involve academic researchers and other subject matter experts in KSC’s scientific research and engineering activities. The research partnerships facilitated by SURA included long-term support in key project areas or short-term opportunities, such as internships, post-doctoral fellowships, or sabbaticals.

Carolyn Wilson, SURA Special Projects Manager, managed SURA’s day-to-day involvement in the contract.