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

A -- MMC COMBUSTION CHAMBER DEMONSTRATION UNIT SOL 8-1-9-RA-23203 DUE 051499 POC Teresa A. Foley, Contracting Officer, Phone (256) 544-0335, Fax (256) 544-4080, Email teresa.foley@msfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/MSFC/date.html#8-1-9-RA-23203. E-MAIL: Teresa A. Foley, teresa.foley@msfc.nasa.gov. NASA/MSFC plans to issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) Thrust Chamber Demonstration Unit. MSFC will provide one copper alloy liner approximately 5" long with an injector end inner diameter of 2.5" and a throat inner diameter of 1.5". The exit plane downstream of the throat will expand to an inner diameter of 2.8". Seventy-five axial coolant channels will be machined into the liner at a depth of 0.09" and a width of 0.04 and create a hot wall thickness of 0.03". An MMC structural jacket with the following requirements must be formed around this liner: -- The material system and fabrication processes shall provide an appropriate bond with the copper alloy liner that survives exposure to specific temperature extremes. This bond should successfully endure cryogenic and hot-fire testing at MSFC. Cryogenic cycle testing at MSFC will supply liquid nitrogen at 1800 psi through the coolant system. Hot-fire testing will supply an oxygen/hydrogen combustion environment at a maximum chamber pressure of 850 psi. (Liquid hydrogen cooling will be used in the hot-fire test.) -- The material system shall be aluminum based. The final matrix system should include materials that are environmentally friendly. -- The structural jacket shall include appropriate manifolds for distributing liquid hydrogen coolant to the liner. The manifolds shall be capable of retaining liquid hydrogen at a maximum pressure of 1800 psi. Temperatures of the hydrogen coolant are expected to range from -400 degrees F at the inlet manifold and 80 degrees F at the exit manifold. -- The structural jacket should be formed to the contour of the liner and provide adequate support without using separate throat support structures. Furthermore, to minimize fabrication steps, processes that provide brazing and casting/forming to the liner in one step are desired. -- Required braze processes should eliminate oxides and be applied in pressure controlled processes with tightly controlled deposition rates. Furthermore, braze processes should minimize thermal input to reduce thermal distortions of the copper alloy liner. -- Resulting structural jacket material system shall appropriately match the thermal coefficient of expansion (CTE) of the liner (~ 9.15x10-6 /oF) to create and sustain a proper bond. -- Functionally gradient material systems are desired to apply locally controlled reinforcements for localized strength and to tailor thermal and mechanical properties, as desired. -- To maximize quality control of the fabrication processes and the completed unit, all fabrication processes shall be performed by the contractor. This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the items from MSE Technology Applications, P.O. Box 4078, Butte, MT 59702. This sole source is based on proprietary processes. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html. Interested firms have until May 14, 1999, 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 May 14, 1999, and 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. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". Posted 04/28/99 (D-SN325285). (0118)

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