Narrow Cape Launch Site Reconstruction Bid Awarded

Jay Barrett/KMXT

Reconstruction of the former Kodiak Launch Complex should commence soon. The Alaska Aerospace Corporation announced that it has awarded a $23-million contract to Davis Constructors and Engineers of Anchorage, according to company COO Mark Grebe.

“Without any kind of magic set-aside or preference, we were pleased to see that we had excellent participation from the Alaska contracting community,” he said. “And are very happy and pleased that an Alaska company flat out won the selection.”

Grebe said that the repairs to what is now called the “Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska” will be paid for out of Alaska Aerospace Corporation’s insurance through the state. He described the scope of work.

“There’s a few structural members that were damaged that need to be replaced. Our spacecraft assembly and transfer facility essentially needs to be completely rebuilt. The integration and processing and launch service structure, which people think of as the launch pad, they essentially need to be re-skinned,” he said. “And all those services that usually run inside the skin, you know your power conduit, your compressed air lines and all those electrical cabling, all need to be replaced.”

Though it sounds like a good deal of work, Grebe says it all should be completed by late March or early April.

“It wasn’t that significant of damage to the facility. We just took our time since we did not have any launches on the book, and did not spend premium dollars to get it done faster than it needed to. So we did the best value approach,” Grebe said. “It was showy damage, but without a lot of structural damage, it’s relatively easy to recover from. I worked in Florida for many, many years and I’ve seen hurricane damage after a hurricane that was actually worst than this damage.”

Davis Contractors and Engineers has previously done work on the Fairbanks International Airport and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport terminals.