26 Mar 2008
JSC Group Achievement Award from NASA

Irvine, CA Wednesday, March 26, 2008 – Irvine Electronics, Inc. received the JSC Group Achievement Award from NASA recognizing the company’s participation on the Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS) Project. Briefly, the award paid tribute to the company, “For dedication and teamwork in designing, developing & operating the SSPTS, which performed flawlessly & allowed the mission to be extended & accomplish all objectives.” What makes this award distinctive is that it was initiated by the crew of the Endeavor and signed by each of the Astronauts. Personnel from Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne joined representatives from NASA and Boeing in the presentations at the award ceremony. Irvine Electronics’ contribution to the SSPTS was the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). The primary function of the PTU is to convert electrical power supplied by solar arrays aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and condition it for space shuttle use. The purpose is to extend the time the shuttle can remain docked to the station without depleting the shuttle’s on-board stored electrical supply. The PTU enables the shuttle to utilize power from the space station to provide clean electrical power with minimal loss of consumed power by the PTU’s interface. This extension of the docking duration is crucial for the ISS program to have enough external vehicle access (EVA) time required to complete assembly of the station within the allocated number of shuttle flights. In 2004, Irvine Electronics (IEI) was awarded a multi-year contract to build the Power Transfer Unit (PTU), using NASA certified personnel, for the Space Shuttle through Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. Irvine Electronics, Inc. is a small, woman owned electronics manufacturing service contractor providing a range of services to their customers from high volume turnkey printed circuit board assemblies to complete box builds. Irvine Electronics, Inc. provides sophisticated products to NASA for the space program, turnkey products for the medical industry, circuit boards for the cell phone industry and systems for airport security, to name a few. In December 2006 Irvine Electronics successfully became AS9100 certified for the aerospace industry. For additional information, please contact: Onnig Zerounian