SpaceX has announced the successful completion of qualification testing for the Falcon 9 launch vehicle first stage tank and interstage. Testing took place at SpaceX’s Texas Test Site, a 300 acre structural and propulsion testing facility, located just outside of Waco, Texas.

The first stage tank and interstage hardware were subjected to a proof test of 1.1 times the maximum expected operating pressure (MEOP), and a burst pressure proof test of 1.4 MEOP; qualifying both articles with a 1.4 factor of safety. The 1.4 factor of safety designation means that the first stage tank and the interstage can withstand 140 percent the maximum internal pressure expected during flight, and qualifies both pieces of hardware to meet human rating safety requirements, as defined by NASA. The first stage also passed this human rating milestone when subjected to structural bending tests.

The testing regimen included over 150 pressurization cycles, exceeding the number of required life cycles by more than 100. In addition, the first stage and interstage were subjected to stiffness tests, maximum dynamic pressure loading and main engine cutoff conditions; all at expected values, as well as ultimate loads.

“Falcon 9 continues to pass qualification testing in preparation for its first flight, scheduled for 2009,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “All hardware was designed to be man-rated, and these tests confirm that SpaceX is one step closer to flying humans on the Falcon 9/Dragon system.”

Falcon 9’s first stage and interstage also passed ground wind qualification tests, critical for when the vehicle is vertical on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Both components were designed, built and tested by SpaceX.

Nextreme Thermal Solutions and Lockheed Martin have entered into a cooperation agreement to develop new products based on Nextreme’s thin-film thermoelectric materials.

The agreement allows Lockheed Martin to use Nextreme’s thin-film thermoelectric products and thermal and power management design services in solutions it is developing for government and civil applications.

“Lockheed Martin is proud to enter into this cooperation agreement with Nextreme,” said Brad Pietras, Director of Nanotechnology Programs at Lockheed Martin. “The agreement gives us the opportunity to offer our customers new and differentiated products for enhanced thermal and power management.”

“Lockheed Martin is a global leader and engaging with them is a tremendous step forward for Nextreme,” said Jesko von Windheim, CEO of Nextreme. “They represent leading-edge technology and offer an exceptional channel into the government sector, both of which can accelerate the development of next generation products.”

Nextreme’s team of engineers offers thermal modeling, design and engineering services to deliver fully optimized microscale thermal and power management solutions using standard and customized products.

BAE Systems has received a contract from the U.S. Department of the Treasury for managed information technology services with a ceiling of $325 million over seven years. BAE Systems competed against major enterprise IT companies to serve the nation’s leading fiduciary agency.

BAE Systems will provide Treasury headquarters and participating bureaus with engineering, implementation, operations, administration, and maintenance services. The company will design and deliver these services at a firm, fixed price.

“Treasury is the federal agency at the center of our economic recovery, and fulfilling that critical mission demands nothing less than excellence in information technology solutions and support,” said Gene Glazar, president of BAE Systems’ Information Solutions group. “The award demonstrates our capacity to tackle enterprise-level projects for even the largest customers and to serve customers outside the U.S. Department of Defense and Homeland Security areas.”

The just-awarded contract is the successor to the Treasury Seat Management contract, which BAE Systems held for 10 years. Treasury Seat Management was a performance-based services contract to provide daily management and operation of IT infrastructure assets and processes for Treasury headquarters. Under the new contract, BAE Systems becomes a managed-services provider to the Treasury, providing end-to-end products and services.