NASA agreed to a $40.2 million modification to the Space Flight Operations Contract with United Space Alliance in support of the Space Shuttle Cockpit Avionics Upgrade (CAU).

The modification settles a request for equitable adjustment made by United Space Alliance related to a variety of changes in the development of the CAU. This upgrade is planned to enhance the Space Shuttle cockpit with more intuitive displays that increase the crew's situational awareness and reduce pilot workload during critical phases of flight. The adjustment covers new requirements for flight hardware burn- in, independent assessment support, additional display computations, test and evaluation changes, and delays in the authority to proceed, as well as other efforts in support of the previously authorized CAU.

The negotiated equitable adjustment was settled with an increase in cost of $40.2 million to the $12.9 billion Space Flight Operations Contract held by United Space Alliance. Work on this effort is performed at facilities in Houston and the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Major subcontractor facilities are located in Huntington Beach, Calif. and Oswego, N.Y.