SOURCES SOUGHT
18 -- Space Plug-and-play Avionics Testbed Simulator / Stimulator (SPATSS)
- Notice Date
- 12/1/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 927110
— Space Research and Technology
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL, Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland AFB, 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, NM, 87117
- ZIP Code
- 87117
- Solicitation Number
- SPATSS-01
- Archive Date
- 2/28/2005
- Description
- Title: Space Plug-and-play Avionics Testbed Simulator / Stimulator (SPATSS) Narrative: AFRL has been engaged in the research and development of concepts for modular, plug-and-play avionics architecture. Our motivation is to build systems in the most rapid time possible. It takes 5 years minimum and sometimes more than 15 to build a major space system, from thought to orbit. We believe that under the right "framework", even the most complex systems could be assembled and fielded in phenomenally short timeframes, perhaps days. Most of the barriers to this goal are: (1) wiring harnesses, (2) software, (3) human fallibility, and (4) closed, proprietary "standards". As such, AFRL is working with government and industry organizations to create a Space Plug-and-play Avionics (SPA) approach and standard. SPA supports a modular, building block strategy in which each component of a spacecraft has built-in intelligence to promote a "plug-and-play" (PnP) paradigm. With SPA, every spacecraft component, from the simplest thermometer to the most complex camera payload, is ideally integratable very rapidly, much like the USB "thumb drive" is rapidly recognized when plugged into a PC. ( The ideas of SPA directly evolved from previous work on conceptual development projects such as the Adaptive Avionics Experiment (AAE). Publically-released documentation are cited as references at the end of this solicitation. Further documentation can be made available to US citizens through written/e-mail request. ) This idea of SPA has led to the requirement for a real-time spacecraft simulation to support several hardware in the loop (HWIL) testbeds. The purposes of the testbed are: (1) to validate PnP avionics; (2) to understand rapid assembly concepts; and (3) to permit mission simulation / emulation. The testbeds have a need for a variety of programmable stimuli and emulation capabilities, including modular, detailed, six degree-of-freedom simulation that can provide realistic inputs to and receive data from satellite systems in development. The simulation should be built from detailed hardware oriented component models. Current baseline components that could be included are: deployment pyro control, inertial stellar compass, solar array control & battery charger, star tracker, lightband (launch vehicle separation) interface, reaction wheel, GPS, command & telemetry radio, thrusters, heaters, temperature sensors, sun sensor array, magnetometer, IMU, and torque rod. The simulation much have an open architecture to support models that are developed at different times by different teams. The simulation must support the HWIL environment. This includes the conversion of model data to HWIL plug compatible component emulation such that spacecraft data handling systems will believe a real device is connected. In addition, the simulation must also support the dynamic conversion of HWIL data inputs to model parameters for inclusion in the real-time simulation. The simulation must support a varying mixture of physical hardware components and purely simulated components. The overall real-time simulation must easily accept new models of specific or generic components. The simulation must have a user friendly GUI for assembling the simulation from available models, parameterizing the models, and specifying the mission parameters such as orbit, ground contacts, etc. The simulation must have a real-time graphical interface for displaying simulation data such as user-selected simulation parameters and spacecraft position and orientation. AFRL is considering funding research in this specific technology area and is attempting to gauge industry / academic interest and capability. Responses should be sent to: Air Force Research Laboratory/VSSE, Attn: SPATSS, 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776. Written and e-mailed responses are acceptable. E-mail information to a protected USAF server: microsys@kirtland.af.mil. The information can be in the form of white papers, presentations, or proposals. This industry survey does not obligate the government in any manner for any future acquisitions. This is not a notice of intent to contract. The government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request for information or otherwise pay for information solicited. Qualified participants are invited to submit/demonstrate their interests and capability in writing. Only detailed written responses, received within thirty (30) days after the publication of this announcement will be reviewed. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to pursue this effort. References: 1. Lanza, D.; Lyke, J. ; Zetocha, P.; Fronterhouse, D.; Melanson, D., "Responsive Space Through Adaptive Avionics", presented at AIAA 2nd Responsive Space Conference, 2004. 2. Thomas Morphopoulos, L. Jane Hansen, Jon Pollack, Jim Lyke, Scott Cannon, "Plug-and-Play - An Enabling Capability for Responsive Space Missions" presented at the AIAA 2nd Responsive Space Conference, 2004. 3. Fronterhouse D. and J. Lyke "An Approach For Miniature, Real-Time Embedded Supercomputing For Aerospace Applications", presented at AMOS conference, Maui HI, September 2003. 4. Lyke, J. "Reconfigurable Systems: A Generalization of Computational Strategies for Space Systems", presented at 2002 IEEE Aerospace Conference. 5. Lyke, J.; Sulham, C.; Cannon, S. "Strategy for Protection Architectures Based on Scalable, Self-Organizing Avionics Approaches", presented at IEEE Core Technologies for Space Systems Conference, Colorado Springs, CO, November 28-30, 2001. 6. Note that there are other as yet uncleared draft documents in preparation that describe the SPA standard in more detail. The latest drafts can be made available only to US citizens, and this depends on a number of other factors including the state of the documentation at the time of request.
- Record
- SN00715100-W 20041203/041201211800 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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