Qwest Lands NASA High-Speed Network Contract

Qwest Communications International and TKC Communications plan to build a high-speed network for secure communications among NASA facilities throughout the United States.

Under the terms of a $7.2 million deal with the space agency, the two companies will construct a network that will provide a range of very-high-bandwidth services — with some connections capable of simultaneously sending more than 600,000 e-mails per second — and will connect NASA sites in multiple phases.

The initial phase will connect Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Ala.; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; NASA Headquarters in Washington; Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Johnson Space Center in Houston; and Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.

NASA will use the network to support the “One NASA” effort, which is designed to better unify the organizations facilities.

“This is a unique project that will showcase Qwest’s ability to deliver a tailored communications solution to a high-profile federal agency with multiple sites throughout the United States,”said James F.X. Payne, senior vice president and general manager of Qwest’s government services division.

On the project, the Denver-based Qwest will serve as the lead contractor, providing guidance to TKC, a small Alaskan native-owned business, which recently was granted a Federal Communications Commission International Common Carrier 214 license.