NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

A -- DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF PRECISE POINTING SYSTEMS STUDY SOL 8-1-9-ED-C2574 DUE 032999 POC Glynda H. Meeks, Contract Specialist, Phone (256) 544-0422, Fax (256) 544-4400, Email glynda.meeks@msfc.nasa.gov -- Valerie N. Holmes, Contracting Officer, Phone (256)544-0314, Fax (256)544-4400, Email valerie.holmes@msfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/MSFC/date.html#8-1-9-ED-C2574. E-MAIL: Glynda H. Meeks, glynda.meeks@msfc.nasa.gov. NASA/MSFC plans to issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for a research study entitled DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF PRECISE POINTING SYSTEMS. This study is being procured under the University Research Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) program with the university community within the United States. Research will be conducted on-site at MSFC with a period of performance of 10 months. SCOPE: The research identified in this statement of work is for three distinct projects: Advanced Technology for Microgravity Vibration Isolation; the ISE project; and the Space Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE). Each project has distinct scope, tasks, and deliverables as described in the following sections. Section 1: Advanced Technology for Microgravity Vibration Isolation OBJECTIVE: MSFC is currently engaged in advanced technology development and flight demonstration of a microgravity vibration isolation system called g-LIMIT (GLovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology). The proposal "A Vibration Isolation System for the Space Station Glovebox" was selected through NASA's 1996 solicitation for Glovebox Investigations. The concept has been developed under an Advanced Technology Development (ATD) Project. g-LIMIT is currently scheduled for launch to the International Space Station in November 2000 on the UF-1 mission and will be the first investigation to use the Microgravity Science Glovebox. g-LIMIT is an experiment level vibration isolation system with six degrees of freedom active control. By sensing the inertial motion of the isolated platform, controlled forces are applied to the platform to negate the undesirable motion resulting is an attenuation of accelerations. g-LIMIT utilizes non-contact electromagnetic actuators, distributed digital signal processors, microgravity accelerometers, and a patent-pending implicit relative position sensing circuit to provide a state-of-the-art vibration isolation system for acceleration sensitive microgravity science experiments. The objectives of the g-LIMIT Glovebox Investigation are: 1. Demonstrate attenuation of payload accelerations 2. Generate user-specified pristine accelerations to enhance experiment operations 3. Measure quasi-steady accelerations independent of accelerometer as a by-product of vibration control 4. Demonstrate advanced control technology for vibration isolation 5. Characterize the vibratory acceleration environment of the MSG 6. Validate the dynamic model of g-LIMIT with flight test data Tasks: The contractor shall perform the following tasks: Task 1. Control System Design and Analysis Develop dynamic models of the g-LIMIT Technology demonstrator including equations of motion, sensor characteristics, actuator characteristics and data systems processing. Integrate g-LIMIT models into a dynamic simulation and perform analysis of vibration control laws and associated control parameters to meet vibration isolation requirements. Document models, dynamic simulator, control system design and performance analysis results. Task 2. Software Algorithm DevelopmentDevelop and document algorithms for vibration control laws, on-orbit data processing and system health and status to be implemented on the g-LIMIT Technology demonstrator. Develop and document algorithms for post-test ground data processing and analysis of verification test and flight experimentation. Task 3. Co-Investigator Duties Transfer research knowledge through documentation of inputs for flight operations, crew procedures, safety reviews, design reviews and pre-ship reviews. Participation in design reviews, integration testing, mission simulations and other meetings associated with the g-LIMIT Technology demonstrator development will require travel to KSC, JSC or other locations. Deliverables -- Vibration Isolation Technology: 1. Provide Preliminary Control Design Report including control design models, controller parameters, block diagrams, and analysis results by May 15, 1999. 2. Provide Critical Design documentation of control algorithms and data processing routines by July 1, 1999. 3. Provide inputs to functional test plan and crew training plans for the Critical Design Review by July 1, 1999. 4. Provide final control system parameter design and associated control system performance analysis in Final Report by 01/31/00.* Section 2: ISE Project Objective: The ISE project consists of generic laboratory thermal sensor that will be available for payload onboard ISS. The thermal sensor is referred to as the Digital Thermometer (DT) is manifested to support the 7A.1 launch ( August 00). In FY98 five candidate DT's were purchased and tested. The Tektronix unit made by HP was selected as the ISS DT. With the selection made and draft crew procedures completed, the contractor shall provide the following tasks in FY99. Task: The contractor shall perform the following task: Task 1. ISE Develop knowledge of DT functional operations through review and assessment of thermal sensor requirements, functional testing of ground DT unit and review of results from product performance test. Provide transfer of DT research and functional knowledge through inputs to final crew procedures, crew training, and ISS documentation; participate in MSFC integration and training reviews. Provide assessment of customer comments and technical recommendations in final documentation of task. Deliverables: 1. Provide documentation of DT research in inputs to final crew procedures by 7/30/99. 2. Provide documentation of DT research in inputs to crew training by 9/30/99. 3. Provide DT research Final Report including assessment of customer comments and technical recommendations by 01/31/00.* Section 3: SPARCLE Objective: The SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) project consists of fabricating a coherent Doppler wind lidar (DWL) system; flying it on the Space Shuttle within Hitchhiker cans in CY2000; and measuring tropospheric line-of-sight and horizontal vector wind profiles as a function of altitude. Task: The contractor shall perform the following task: Task 1. TREETOPS Dynamic Model Update preliminary TREETOPS dynamic model of SPARCLE pointing simulation to represent Critical Design configuration. Perform jitter and line-of-sight pointing analysis and provide results to be included in SPARCLE error analysis. Provide documentation of SPARCLE pointing system simulation and performance analysis results. Deliverables: 1. SPARCLE updated TREETOPS dynamic models and simulation by December 15, 1999. 2. Documentation in Final Report of jitter and line-of-sight pointing performance analysis by 01/31/00.* *Consolidated Final Report shall be submitted for Sections 1, 2, and 3. This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the items from University of Alabama in Huntsville under the Research BOA Program. This sole source action is pursuant to FAR 13.106 and is based on the University's domain expertise in this area of research. Interested firms have 15 days from the publication of this synopsis to submit in writing to the identified point of contact, their qualifications/capabilities. Such qualifications/capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses received after March 21, 1999 or without the required information will be considered nonresponsive to the synopsis and will not be considered. A determination by the Government to not compete this proposed effort on a full and open competitive basis, based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT REQUIRED] An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". Posted 03/01/99 (D-SN303561). (0060)

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