NASA Langley Research Center, MS 144, Industry Assistance Office Hampton, Va. 23681-0001

A -- DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS TO CARBON-CARBON CONTROL SURFACE TEST COMPONENT POC NASA Langley Research Center, Industry Assistance Office, Mail Stop 144, Hampton, VA 23681-0001. Participants are being sought to participate in the design, development and fabrication of improvements to a carbon-carbon control surface test component that was fabricated as a part of the NASP program. The test component is 38.7 inches wide by 56.0 inches long and consists of two carbon-carbon rib-stiffened panels co-bonded together, a carbon-carbon torque tube, ten carbon-carbon attachment rings, a carbon- carbon close-out channel, carbon-carbon fasteners, and Rene' 41 attachment rings and cleats. Aerodynamic and inertial loads from the surface panels are transferred to the carbon-carbon torque tube through the carbon-carbon attachment rings. The torque loads are then transferred from the torque tube to the wing structure by means of the Rene' 41 attachment rings and cleats. The test component has been subjected to mechanical loads up to the design limit load at room temperature without structural damage, but the present design allows too much free movement of the tip of the control surface when the loads are reversed and allows some crushing of the coating on the carbon-carbon torque tube between the torque tube and the Rene' 41 attachment rings. Both the excessive free movement and the coating damage are the results of the way the load is transferred between the Rene' 41 attachment rings and the torque tube. The task will consist of analysis and evaluation of the present design, analysis and development of improved designs for the critical joint between the torque tube and the Rene' 41 attachment rings with both carbon-carbon and carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide torque tubes, fabrication of sub-component test articles with full scale segments (approximately 9.5 inches outside diameter, 0.50 inch wall thickness and 13 inches long) of carbon-carbon and carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide torque tubes, and fabrication of a full length (approximately 39 inches) carbon- carbon or carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide torque tube to replace existing torque tube in the control surface test component. The improved designs shall significantly reduce or eliminate the amount of free movement between the torque tube and the attachment rings when the loading is reversed and minimize or completely eliminate the coating damage to the torque tube when subjected to the test component design limit load. LaRC is highly interested in those participants having experience in the design, analysis, and fabrication of large coated carbon-carbon and/or carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide structural components with thicknesses up to 0.50 inches and that meet stringent load and dimensional requirements. Any participant wishing to respond to this announcement should provide company literature and/or publications relevant to the aforementioned technology and a summary of the participants prior related work in the design and fabrication of large carbon-carbon and/or carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide structures. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resulting solicitation for the requirement. Firms responding should indicate whether they are a socially or economically disadvantaged business firm, an 8(a) firm, a small business, and/or woman-owned business. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside or 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. All responses shall be submitted to NASA Langley Research Center, Industry Assistance Office, Mail Stop 144, Hampton, VA 23681-0001 within 14 days from the date of publication of this announcement. In responding reference SS225 . (0027)

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