(Reuters) -Engineering contractor KBR said on Wednesday it had secured a $2.46 billion contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support astronaut and worker health and safety during space missions.

Shares of KBR rose 2.7% in extended trading.

The five-year agreement, starting November 1, includes two optional extensions potentially extending the contract until 2035. Most work will be conducted at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The total estimated value, including the extensions, is $3.6 billion, the company said.

The deal extends KBR's partnership with the space agency and underscores its role in spaceflight operations.

KBR will provide services such as monitoring crew health, occupational health support and researching risk reduction strategies for astronauts, including those involved in the Artemis program aimed at future Moon missions.

"This contract reinforces KBR's leadership in human spaceflight operations," said Mark Kavanaugh, KBR president, defense, intel and space.