(RFI) ON SPACE WEATHER EFFECTS ON COMMERCIAL SATELLITES AND OTHER SYSTEMS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FROM COMMERCIAL SOURCES ON Space Weather Effects on Commercial Satellites and Other Systems. Technical Point of Contact is Maj Schaefer, (703) 325-2844. The DoD Space Architect Organization (DoDOSA) is gathering information regarding the impact of Space Weather on commercial satellites and the datalinks they support. Information on space weather effects on high frequency (HF) radio communication, and radar target location, tracking and identification are also within the scope of this study. For the purpose of this Request For Information (RFI), Space Weather is defined as conditions on the sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based systems. The information will be used to assist DoDOSA in developing plans for space systems architectures for the 2010 2025 time period. SMC/CI is issuing this RFI on behalf of DoDOSA. Commercial sources involved with any of the components of the satellite industry that may be affected by space weather are invited to respond. If this RFI is only partially applicable to your business, partial answers would be appropriate and appreciated. Our current plan is to share the results of the architectural review and to invite interested parties to review, and provide input to, the proposed architectures developed. Potentially this information could be used for utility benefit analysis, investment decisions and future requirements definition by the government. The DoDOSA has been gathering information regarding the effects of space weather for the last six months in preparation for developing a DoD Space Weather Architecture for the 2010-2025 time frame. Solar phenomena of interest are coronal mass ejections, solar flares, and variations in the solar wind. Major impacts to the DoD include loss of communication links, degraded radar accuracy, degraded geolocation accuracy, degraded navigation accuracy and damage to satellites due to radiation (i.e.charging and single event upsets). Key phenomena of interest are ionospheric scintillation and electron density profiles or total electron content, electromagnetic radiation, charged particles, changes in neutral density, auroral scintillation effects and radio frequency interference. The focus of this RFI is to learn what industry has been doing to mitigate the effects of, and survive, space weather events. This information is important in light of DoD's increasing dependence on commercial satellite services. In order to develop a more robust future space weather architecture, the DoD is requesting information in the following areas: 1. Space System Anomalies -- Identification and documentation of system anomalies experienced and the actions taken to mitigate and or prevent them. 2. Space System Design -- Principles and rules used to design satellites to survive in the space environment. 3. Space to ground links that are susceptible to space weather effects. 4. Other system impacts (HF communications,radar system impacts, location, etc.). 5. Use of government space weather products -- How you use the products available from either the 55th Space Weather Squadron at Falcon AFB, Colorado or the Space Environment Center at Boulder, Colorado. 6. Government Monitoring -- What capabilities in monitoring and reporting space weather would you like to see the government continue or add to a future space weather architecture? 7. Any additional comments. 1. These questions are intended to determine the number, type and criticality of Space System Anomalies: a. Have you experienced failures or anomalies in operating space systems or disruptions in services due to space weather effects that have resulted in: -- Complete loss of a space vehicle or service? -- Reduction in performance or capability (e.g. reduction in power, less service capability)? -- Temporary disruption of service? -- Reduction in redundancy? (switched to back-up, lost back-up, etc.)? -- Additional operational measures takenor resources used to restore and maintain service? (Could include resolution efforts expended to understand the anomaly) -- Adverse impacts on business plans, anticipated return on investment, or other business operating conditions? (e.g. rental of a transponder from an alternate supplier) b. For failures or anomalies, can you provide the following: -- The system affected, the event duration, and the date/time first observed. -- The recovery method (e.g. reset switch to redundant system, live with it, etc.). -- The probable cause (e.g. charging, single event upset, etc.) and the subsystem affected. c. What process do you use to investigate an on-orbit anomaly? At what stage do you look at space weather as a possible cause? Whom do you contact to determine if space weather was a factor? d. Do you document system anomalies that are suspected to have been caused by space weather? e. If the government made a database available that you could populate with these system anomalies to improve the supportprovided to you, would you provide this data? f. How are system anomalies caused by space weather handled with insurance companies? (Can space weather effects create an "uninsurable operation"?) g. Are your insurance premiums for launch and on-orbit operations affected by how well the satellite is designed against space weather? 2. These questions are intended to determine the principles and rules used to design satellites to survive in the space environment: a. How do you design your current systems to operate in or mitigate the space environment? Do you design your current satellite user segment (e.g. any hand-held receivers, antennas, processing software, etc.) to operate in or mitigate the space environment? Do you plan to take this into account in future system design? b. Do you have a group solely dedicated to survivability analysis? c. Are design practices based on flight experience, ground testing or a combination? d. How are anomalies attributed to space weather fed back to the designers and analysts? e. What type of risk analysis is performed to show trades (e.g. shielding vs. weight)? What level of risk is acceptable? f. Do you require radiation hardening in components? Are these components becoming difficult to purchase? What do you view as the future trend in this area? g. What systems operations concepts have you implemented in consideration of the possible effects of space weather? h. What type of redundancy do you build into your system (major components, minor components, specialized, etc.)? If you were to experience a failure in your system due to space weather, how would it impact your overall operations? i. If there was a failure in a space system that supports your operations (e.g. GPS, commercial communications, etc.), what impact would it have on your operations? j. If the government provided better characterization of the space environment, would you use the data as guide lines? How would you use it? What kind of space weather information would be most useful? How frequently would you need it? 3. These questions address the space-to-ground links used and supported: a. Have you experienced failures or disruptions in services due to space weather effects? b. How have you designed your system to overcome ionospheric effects? 4. These questions address the other system impacts (HF communications, radar system impacts, geolocation, etc.): a. With HF communications, have you experienced any failures or disruptions in service because of space weather (fading, absorption, blackouts)? Do you have any trends on HF performance with regard to space weather (ionospheric disruptions)? b. With radar operations, have you experienced any failures or disruptions in service because of space weather (radio frequency interference, signal absorption, bending or retardation)? Do you have any trends on radar performance with regard to space weather? c. With any other operations, have you experienced any failures or disruptions because of space weather? Do you have any trends on performance? 5. These questions address the use of government space weather products. -- DoDOSA would like to know how the products from either the 55th Space Weather Squadron at Falcon AFB, Colorado or the Space Environment Center at Boulder, Colorado are used by industry: a. What government space weather products do you currently use to design and operate your systems? Which, if any, are critical? b. If improved space weather specifications and forecasts were available, would you change the design of your systems or operations? c. Are there deficiencies in the currently available products? Are there new space weather products you need or would like to be available? d. What capabilities do your systems have to provide space weather information? e. If the government developed small on-board sensors to measure space weather information (e.g., energetic particles or charging) would you be interested in (or capable of) flying such an instrument? Would you be willing to report the observed space weather information to the government? f. Do youobtain space weather information from a commercial source? If so, where? g. Do you have any plans to offer space weather support services to others on a commercial basis? 6. These questions cover the capabilities in monitoring and reporting space weather you would like to see the government continue to or begin to provide. Address specifically what you would like to see in a future space weather architecture: a. List the following space weather information in order of importance to your business: -- Scintillation -- Electromagnetic Radiation -- Energetic Particles -- Electron Density Profile/ Total Electron Content -- Radio Bursts -- Neutral Density Measurements -- Electric Field Measurements -- Other Space Weather Phenomena b. At what locations, to what accuracy, and at what intervals does this information need to be collected to make it useful? c. How would you like to see this information distributed or displayed? (e.g. direct feed to models, tailored products, basic observations, etc.) d. How would the information be used? (e.g. design phase, testing phase, operating phase, all, etc.) 7. Other: a. Provide any further thoughts you may have about space weather. b. With whom would you recommend we pursue additional discussions on these topics? Parties interested in responding to this RFI should contact Maj Steve Schaefer by phone at (703) 325-2844 or by electronic mail at schaefsa@acq.osd.mil to obtain a background material package. Companies responding to the RFI will be invited to make a presentation at DoDOSA during an "Industry Day" gathering and discuss these topics. We are planning to allow approximately 1+ hour blocks of time for each presentation and general discussion of the topic areas. The tentative date of these meetings will be late June 1998; details of presentations will be provided to interested parties at a later date. Briefings containing classified information can be arranged. You are free to answer some or all of the above questions. If follow-up trips or visits toan organization's location are warranted, they can be arranged during the meetings. All written responses to the questions contained in this RFI must be received at DoDOSA, Attn: Maj Steve Schaefer, no later than 30 days after date of publication of this RFI. If you choose to submit classified or proprietary data, please mark it accordingly to ensure proper handling. Your written responses will be appreciated even if you do not intend to meet with DoDOSA personnel. This synopsis is for a Request For Information only. The Government is neither negotiating nor calling for offers during this process. This RFI does not constitute a commitment on the part of the Government to purchase or acquire space systems or services. The Government will not reimburse travel and response preparation expenses for this effort. Technical Focal Point, Maj Steve Schaefer, (703) 325-2844; Contracting Officer, Mr William S. Trombetta, (310) 336-4460. E-MAIL: click here to contact the technical focal point via e-mail, schaefsa@acq.osd.mil.

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