SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Hermes Facility - Appendix: Hermes Design Consideration
- Notice Date
- 5/2/2017
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Mail Code: BG, Houston, Texas, 77058-3696, United States
- ZIP Code
- 77058-3696
- Solicitation Number
- NNJ17ZBG003L
- Point of Contact
- Dr. Kristen John, Phone: (281) 244-0897, Miyoshi Thompson, Phone: 281-244-1683
- E-Mail Address
-
kristen.k.john@nasa.gov, miyoshi.thompson-1@nasa.gov
(kristen.k.john@nasa.gov, miyoshi.thompson-1@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Appendix Hermes Design Considerations This is a Request for Information (RFI) only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will take procurement action in this matter. Further, neither NASA nor the Government will be responsible for any cost incurred in furnishing this information. Summary NASA Exploration Integration and Science Directorate (EISD) is seeking information on small experiments that can be delivered and installed in the Hermes facility on the International Space Station (ISS) as early as Calendar Year (CY) 2018. Multiple space vehicles are available to provide commercial cargo delivery to the ISS in this timeframe. Information on ISS experiments that could be launched in 2018 or later would be valuable to NASA as it works to finalize the facility's capabilities. Experiments of interest should address one or more of NASA's Technology Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs), the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Decadal Surveys, NASA Technology Roadmaps, or the strategic objectives in the NASA Strategic Plan. Responses to this Request For Information (RFI) are sought broadly from industry, universities, non-profit organizations, NASA Centers (including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and other U.S. government agencies. These responses will be used by NASA for planning and strategy development. Background NASA has identified a variety of exploration and science objectives that could be addressed by sending experiments, or other payloads, to the ISS. Some of the objectives of interest at this time include: • Acquire data that can be used to help retire NASA's Strategic Knowledge Gaps. https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/library/skg.html • Acquire data relevant to NASA's Science Mission Directorate's (SMD) Decadal Surveys. https://science.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/decadal-surveys • Acquire data that address NASA's 15 Technology Roadmaps https://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/home/roadmaps/index.html • Acquire data that address strategic objectives documented in the NASA Strategic Plan. http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/FY2014_NASA_SP_508c.pdf. To address the above objectives as cost-effectively as possible, and pending future funding, NASA may provide flight opportunities in the Hermes facility on the ISS. As a first step, NASA is interested in assessing the availability of small, low-cost experiments that could be delivered to the ISS as early as CY 2018. This approach allows NASA the potential to simultaneously address critical strategic objectives related both to exploration and science, and to use commercially provided space services and hardware. Hermes will be a reconfigurable on-orbit experiment facility that fits in a single locker volume on ISS. Hermes consists of four small experiment chambers, each with a camera and lighting. Each of these user-configurable experiment chambers can be removed and replaced, and can operate on orbit for hours, days, or months. This facility can be relocated, as required by the experiment needs (e.g. vacuum port availability, micro-g acceleration fields, international module availability, etc.) and launch vehicle/ISS manifest availability. The facility can be reconfigured on-orbit using available tools and crew time. The Hermes facility will have an electronic interface capable of controlling the following: • Wireless interface with the ISS • Power distribution from the ISS 28VDC input power • Activation of lights, cameras, sensors, and electromechanical actuators specific to each experiment chamber; this can be reprogrammed for subsequent experiments • Downlink of data and access to data storage Hermes will have a front-end GUI for the crew members to easily monitor experiments and to aid in sending data to the ISS for downlink. Assumptions The following assumptions should be considered when providing the response to this RFI. Experiment concepts should describe any significant deviations from these assumptions. This RFI is to understand concepts for experiments. If experiment concepts are to be included in Hermes in the future, the following would be required. • The experiment development, integration, verification, and operations activities are provided by the experiment developer. • Experiments integrated into the Hermes facility are required to successfully complete the ISS safety process as defined in SSP 30599. • Experiments integrated into the Hermes facility shall meet the volume and attachment requirements defined in the Appendix. • Experiments integrated into the Hermes facility, and requiring installation in an EXPRESS rack, are required to meet the integration requirements defined in SSP 57000. • Experiments would be available for launch as early as the mid 2018 timeframe. Subsequent experiments could have options to launch later. • All experiments shall abide by commercial launch vehicle and spacecraft integration requirements. Response Guidelines Respondents are requested to include an explanation of the following items: • Entity information: name, contact information, brief summary of previous relevant experience, indicate whether a U.S. entity, identify partners and funding sources/investors. • Payload concept: picture/image, description (e.g. mass, volume, operations concept, expected lifetime, etc.) • Value to NASA (relate to SKG, SMD Decadal Surveys, NASA Technology Roadmaps, or NASA strategic objectives). • When experiment would be available to launch. • Required ISS accommodations and interfaces (e.g. 28 VDC power, data rate, data format, vacuum connectivity (if any), crew time/effort, video vs. imagery, lighting, etc.) • Whether an EXPRESS rack is an acceptable operational location. • Whether the electrical interfaces and requirements stated in the document are acceptable. • Whether the volume requirements stated in this document are acceptable. Additionally, would there be a desire to use the space available for two or more of the experiments to create one larger experiment? • Other experiment constraints (e.g. micro-g acceleration levels, acoustic levels, magnetic field strength, spectrum conflict management, orientation relative to ISS acceleration vector, etc.) • Attach hardware if expected to be different than the standard Hermes attach hardware as described in the Appendix. • Current experiment maturity level: o Is it an existing "orphaned" experiment that has already been substantially or fully developed (e.g. flight spare), but is not manifested on any mission? o Is it a new experiment to be developed from scratch? o What are the greatest identified development or funding risks? • Any international ITAR restrictions that apply. • Potential safety concerns (sharp edges, toxicity levels, etc.) • Which services are required from the launch service provider during pre-launch, launch and on-orbit transit activities? • Which services are required from the launch site prior to launch and the landing site following the return? Is return required? Instructions Responses to this RFI must be delivered to kristen.k.john@nasa.gov, no later than Friday, June 2, 2017 at 5:00 pm CST. Responses should not exceed 5 pages in length, with no smaller than 12 point type. NASA will hold an informational teleconference for this RFI on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at 10:00 am CST. Please RSVP with Kristen John at kristen.k.john@nasa.gov. Prospective respondents should call 1-844-467-6272, passcode 708644 to be connected to this informational teleconference. Questions can be emailed to the following address kristen.k.john@nasa.gov. The information obtained will be used by NASA for planning and strategy development. NASA may use the information obtained as a result of this RFI on a non-attribution basis. Providing data/information that is limited or restricted for use by NASA for that purpose would be of very little value and such restricted/limited data/information is not solicited. This RFI is being used to obtain information for planning purposes only and the Government does not intend to award a contract at this time. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is subject to FAR 52.215-3. This notice is issued by the NASA/JSC to post a Request For Information (RFI) via the internet, and solicit responses from interested parties. 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. The solicitation 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 the Federal Business Opportunities at https://www.fbo.gov. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. Point of Contacts Dr. Kristen John Title: Hermes Principal Investigator Exploration Integration and Science Directorate Phone: (281) 244-0897 Email: kristen.k.john@nasa.gov Miyoshi J. Thompson Contracting Officer Phone: (281) 244-1683 Email: Miyoshi.thompson-1@nasa.gov
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/6bbc452e4859174cfc5ecdbc18aa2203)
- Place of Performance
- Address: No Place of Performance is Indicated. This is for Information Only., United States
- Record
- SN04492767-W 20170504/170502235047-6bbc452e4859174cfc5ecdbc18aa2203 (fbodaily.com)
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