Northrop Grumman Corp.'s space technology sector, along with scientists from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, were awarded Marshall Space Flight Center's Public Service Group Achievement Award for their work on the Chandra X-ray Observatory mission planning and review team. Built by Northrop Grumman Space Technology, the observatory was launched in 1999.   . . .   International Biometric Group (IBG) has released a report on biometric technology, profiling facial-recognition vendors including Identix, Viisage and Cognitec and 3-D facial recognition vendors such as 3Dbiometrics, A4Vision, Geometrix, Neurodynamics and Genex Technologies. For more information, visit: www.biometricgroup.com/facereport.htm   . . .   Teradyne Inc. announced that its Assembly Test Division has received a five-year contract from the US General Services Administration (GSA) Information Technology Group. Teradyne said the GSA contract will make it easier for Department of Defense customers to procure its test products.