SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- THRUSTER SYSTEM
- Notice Date
- 10/29/2015
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall SpaceFlight Center, AL 35812
- ZIP Code
- 35812
- Solicitation Number
- NNM16102915L
- Response Due
- 11/13/2015
- Archive Date
- 10/29/2016
- Point of Contact
- LaBreesha B Batey, Contract Specialist, Phone 256-544-6085, Fax 256-544-2934, Email labreesha.b.batey@nasa.gov - Belinda F Triplett, Contracting Officer, Phone 256-544-3203, Fax 256-544-2934, Email belinda.f.triplett@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
LaBreesha B Batey
(labreesha.b.batey@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This notice is issued by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to post a Request for Information (RFI) via the internet, and solicit responses from interested parties. Pursuant to FAR 52.215-3, this document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). Prospective responders are invited to submit their responses no later than 11/13/2015 by 4:00 p.m. (CST). NASA/MSFC Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEAS) project is looking for a CubeSat-scale thruster system that can provide sufficient impulse to perform the mission-required maneuvers. NEAS is a 6U CubeSat launching on the Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) with the goal of performing a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) flyby. The mission will use a Solar Sail primary propulsion system with the thruster system providing de-spin upon deployment and Z axial thrust capability (see Thruster System Volume Allocation figure below) to target a lunar flyby. Additionally, the system must provide 3 degree-of-freedom (DOF) attitude maneuvering capability for the duration of the <2.5 year mission. It is necessary that the thruster system fit in the footprint and volume allocated in the spacecraft. Our spacecraft is also sensitive to the mass of the thruster system, which should be minimized to the extent practical. It is intended that the thruster system be placed in ~2U at one end of the spacecraft, with the other ~4U unavailable. The five outer faces of the spacecraft which are adjacent to the approximately 2U volume allocation are accessible for thrusters, with some limitations. The exact volume requirements are detailed below. It is desired that the thruster system can be scaled in height to meet the final requirement without affecting performance other than the amount of propellant stored and the parameters directly following from that amount. If this scaling is possible, please provide approximate relationship of thruster system height to total impulse of the system. The thruster system must accept a wiring harness from the ~4U volume at the geometric center of the Z face to provide power and data from the thruster system mounted solar panels, sun sensors, and thruster system itself. The wiring harness is < 0.4 inches (10.2 mm) in diameter, consists of a combination of wire and coax, and has a minimum bend radius requirement of < 0.5 inches (12.7 mm). NEAS is considering two types of technologies for the propulsion system. The primary consideration is a warm-gas type of system. The method for warming the propellants can be tank/line heaters for raising the propellant temperature prior to entering the thruster or resistive heater elements in the thrust chambers themselves. A combination of these methods is also acceptable. The second option being considered is a purely cold-gas system. Programmatic considerations and lower delta-V requirements resulting from additional SLS flow down requirements may allow a simpler, lower cost, and less capable system to be used. In the event this is possible, a graceful transition from warm-gas to the less costly cold-gas system is highly desired. The decision point for when a down selection needs to be made should be indicated by the prime contractors in the response to this RFI. If possible, please provide a response for the warm gas system with de-scope options showing the path to the cold gas system if future programmatic decisions or technical challenges direct NASA 2 towards the simpler system. It is recognized that the total system impulse will be lower for the cold gas system. For the purposes of this RFI, please consider using the same propulsion system volume as the warm-gas system and report the resultant total impulse values. NEAS is still evaluating the thruster-specific requirements needed to meet the mission requirements. The preliminary performance requirements are provided below, and should be considered to be the minimum/baseline that will meet the project requirements, but they may become tighter should a request for proposal (RFP) be issued. In addition, NASA requests information about how much margin the supplier has in meeting the stated requirements, and identification of any requirements that are exceptionally challenging. If the vendor has multiple models that meet or exceed the requirements, we would be interested in getting information about each model. Please also include any information on options for multiple propellant tanks or irregular volume capacity for propellant storage. This RFI includes the following elements below to assist in the development of the response to the RFI: Table 1: Thruster System Constraints lists the current understanding of requirements for the system (including contextual information that may be of use in selecting a thruster design that will best meet the needs of NEAS). Table 2: Requested Information for Each Thruster System lists the information we request in the reply to this RFI. Figure 1: Thruster System Volume Allocation shows the allocated volume and footprint the thruster must fit into relative to the entire spacecraft. Figure 2: Spacecraft Bus Design Concept shows a snapshot of the NEAS spacecraft bus. The thruster shown here is the current baseline and not a hard requirement. This RFI includes the above mentioned tables and figures as an attachment. When responding to this RFI, reference NNM16102915L in the subject line. All responses shall be forwarded to LaBreesha B. Batey via electronic transmission at labreesha.b.batey@nasa.gov. It is not NASAs intent to publicly disclose proprietary information obtained from this RFI. To the full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations, information identified by a respondent as Proprietary or Confidential will be kept confidential. This request for information is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response.Respondents will not be notified of the results. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/p ub_library/Omb.html. The RFI and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application.The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/MSFC Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=62. It is the responders responsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential responders will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the RFI and amendments, if any.
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- Record
- SN03932741-W 20151031/151029234236-761015f157fc112a5b9ee2989b755edd (fbodaily.com)
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