OREANDA-NEWS. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) announced today it has joined 27 industry partners as a member of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration.

The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration is a United States space advocacy organization for space industry businesses and non-profit groups supporting continued government investment in space exploration.

Commenting on the announcement Jacobs Senior Vice President Aerospace and Technology Ward Johnson said, “Jacobs has long been a strong contributor to our nation’s space exploration program. As NASA’s largest services provider, Jacobs provides direct support to related programs at Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center. And as a member of the coalition we share the commitment to advocate NASA’s deep space exploration program and endorse its vision to pursue the benefits returned to our country from long-term national investment in space exploration and scientific discovery.”

Continued investment in space exploration enables NASA and its suppliers to plan and work together to build habitats near the Moon, provide landers and housing to support lunar research and development on the Moon’s surface, and ultimately to land people on Mars and return them safely to Earth. This requires further development of key NASA systems such as the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle and Exploration Ground Systems.

NASA is currently working towards the launch of an un-crewed test mission of SLS in 2018, and a crewed mission in 2021.

During February 2016 Jacobs joined 250 supplier representatives from across the country at the SLS/Orion Suppliers Conference in Washington DC. The need for budget stability for NASA’s program was a key discussion point at the conference.

“We see the greatest challenge to NASA’s deep space program is budget stability, with budget requests and appropriations often out of sync. This draws out the program and drives up costs. Reduction of political uncertainty, together with budget stability would significantly reduce costs and clarify planning for this important program,” said Johnson.

Jacobs is one of the world's largest and most diverse providers of technical, professional and construction services. Its Aerospace and Technology line of business focuses on delivering technical excellence and innovative enterprise solutions to government and commercial aerospace clients.