NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

A -- EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE SOL SS-318 DUE 081800 POC Clemans A. Powell, Senior Scientist for AA&A Competency, Phone (757) 864-2980, Fax (757) 864-5023, Email c.a.powell@larc.nasa.gov -- Panice H. Clark, Contracting Officer, Phone (757) 864-2522, Fax (757) 864-8541, Email P.H.CLARK@larc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=23#SS-318. E-MAIL: Clemans A. Powell, c.a.powell@larc.nasa.gov. Education and Research Institute NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is requesting information to support the establishment of a world-class education and research institute. It is expected that this institute, through its university partners, would provide a local campus in close proximity to LaRC with a degree-granting, graduate education program to support LaRC, local governments, and other federal agencies. The institute would also be expected to conduct collaborative leading-edge research and assemble teams of researchers independent of affiliation, with access to facilities and laboratories of LaRC and all other institute team members. In addition, the institute could serve as an incubator for entrepreneurial activities. The characteristics considered critical to the success of the institute include the following: (1) an environment and operational philosophy that is progressive, creative, innovative, adaptable, and agile (2) organizational goals, leadership, and initiatives to develop the institute into a self-sustaining entity through additional sources or funding and/or partners, promote the local community, and advocate for science and technology (3) an organization that fosters a progressive research environment with minimal hierarchy and external bureaucracy (4) an organization that relies on the existing infrastructure and standards of the affiliated universities to provide seamless, accredited graduate education (5) an academic-like campus with video conferencing classrooms, information technology (IT)-based collaborative engineering laboratories, offices for faculty, research associates, and students, and facilities for classes, training, and workshops (6) a high profile community presence that includes an aggressive outreach mission and promotes and advocates progressive high-tech research. It is anticipated that the institute would initially require core funding from LaRC and other institute team members but would quickly be able to leverage funds from other funding sources. Potential partners in this institute include, but are not limited to, universities, local and state governments, industry, and local research laboratories. Contemplated mechanisms to establish the institute include Space Act Agreements, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts. The effort to be accomplished by the institute in support of LaRC encompasses the following: A. Graduate School and Continuing Education Provide graduate level and continuing education instruction and training necessary to develop the fundamental skills necessary to perform creative research and innovative technology development in the technical areas described below, including the following specific educational services: 1. Graduate course work and thesis supervision leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees, or equivalent, in science and engineering. 2. Continuing education for post-graduates. 3. Training programs to meet the needs of technicians, engineers, scientists, and program managers in emerging fields of research. 4. Short courses and technical conferences to exchange technical information in emerging fields of research B. Research and Technology Development Provide opportunities for collaborative research and technology development appropriate to the aerospace and atmospheric science roles and mission of LaRC using facilities of LaRC and /or other partners. The following specific technical areas are currently of interest to LaRC. 1. Revolutionary Aerospace Vehicles and Systems 1.1 Research Objective: Identify revolutionary vehicles and systems concepts addressing the full spectrum of NASA future mission goals for science and commercial needs -- Revolutionary concepts predicated on aggressive, new enabling technologies -- Innovative concepts offering capabilities spanning the gap between today's aero and space vehicles and systems -- Establishing a seamless transportation system capability addressing environmental, capacity, safety, and economic concerns 1.2 Key Emerging Technology: InnovativeSystems Concepts -- Identification and analysis of aerospace concepts with paradigm shifting potential -- Identification of enabling technologies for these concepts 1.3 Required Technical Capabilities: -- Aerospace systems analysis expertise addressing the full spectrum of NASA mission objectives from advanced aircraft design through planetary capture/entry -- Internationally recognized multidisciplinary analysis and design capabilities and experts 2. Planetary Capture and Entry Technology 2.1 Research Objective: Enable planetary exploration through design, development, testing, and operational support of the following aeroassist elements -- Precise, safe entry, descent and landing -- Accurate, robust aerocapture -- Aggressive, reliable aerobraking -- Assured ascent and rendezvous 2.2 Key Emerging Technologies: -- Robust pinpoint landing with local hazard avoidance -- Accurate reliable aerocapture. 2.3 Required Technical Capabilities: -- Optimal trajectory design -- High fidelity flight simulation -- Aerodynamic database development, analysis and testing -- Aerothermal analysis and testing -- Control and guidance algorithm development -- Aeroshell design -- Structures and materials 3 Aerodynamics, Aerothermodynamics, and Acoustics 3.1 Research Objective: Exploit innovative flow management to enable development of revolutionary aerospace vehicles 3.2 Key Emerging Technology: Flow Control Technology for Performance on Demand -- Boomless supersonic flight -- Precision trajectory and thermal control of entry vehicles -- Hypervelocity mixing and combustion for air breathing propulsion (M>10) -- Smart/adaptive aircraft -- Smart noise suppression for unobtrusive flight 3.3 Required Technical Capabilities: -- Flow physics modeling, prediction, and control -- Aerodynamic testing, analysis and design -- Steady and unsteady computational codes -- Aero and structural acoustics -- prediction and control -- Aerothermal testing, analysis, and design -- Scramjet propulsion flowpath design, testing, analysis -- Advanced diagnostics and measurement techniques 4. Structures and Materials 4.1 Research Objective: Enable advanced structures and materials research and technology development for all aerospace applications except engines 4.2 Key Emerging Technology: Smart, Nano-, and Bio-Systems -- Intelligent, highly efficient, smart/adaptive structures that significantly improve vehicle aerodynamic and stability performance by adapting to the external environment -- Nanostructured materials fabricated by nano-scale assembly processes for sensors, microdevices, and microelectronics, and production scale-up to bulk materials -- Biologically inspired materials that exploit self-assembly fabrication processes resulting in highly efficient, functionalized, radiation resistant, and self-healing materials -- Integrated vehicle health monitoring systems utilizing distributed sensors and remote wireless communications for sensor signal recording, data storage, and processing 4.3 Required Technical Capabilities: -- Advanced materials and processing -- Analytical and computational methods -- Nondestructive evaluation -- Mechanics, dynamics, and durability -- Aeroelasticity and unsteady aerodynamics 5. Airborne Systems 5.1 Research Objective: Exploit vehicle physics and systems integration synergies to achieve: -- Safe, economically viable, transportation of persons or materials from any point on the Earth's surface to any other point on the Earth or to low earth orbit and beyond -- Threat detection and countermeasure delivery in support of National Security objectives 5.2 Key Emerging Technologies: -- Physics-based automation systems for vehicle-critical applications -- Self-repairing automation systems enabling fully automated vehicles -- Soft computing -- neural nets, fuzzy logic systems and genetic algorithms based on physical understanding of the system -- Dynamic, distributed vehicle control and management enabling new vehicles or dramatically improved mission performance -- Intuitive automation support allowing anyone with minimum training to safely and reliably operate a complex aerospace vehicle 5.3 Required Technical Capabilities: -- Vehicle dynamics -- configuration assessment and phenomenology characterization -- Control and guidance algorithm and system development -- High integrity/reliability real-time digital systems (including software) -- Electromagnetics prediction and assessment, including interference effects -- Pilot/automation integration technologies, crew station design methods, and vehicle operations concepts -- Software verification and validation 6. Atmospheric and Vehicle Sensor System Technology 6.1 Research Objective: Enable the exploration of the Earth and Solar System and the development of Revolutionary Aerospace Vehicles and Systems -- Adaptive and self-organizing sensors of physical and chemical phenomena -- Highly accurate, precise spectroscopic and radiometric measurement technology -- Advanced instrument concepts (reduced mass, power, & volume) 6.2 Key Emerging Technology: Self-Organizing Networks of Sensors -- Highly integrated structure, sensor, and processing systems to enable incorporation of knowledge into aerospace vehicle operations 6.3 Required Technical Capabilities -- Advanced atmospheric remote sensing concepts and instrumentation -- Advanced laser materials and electro-optical systems technology development -- Multidisciplinary engineering and synergistic capabilities including lasers, optics, detectors, thermal, structural, and data systems 7. Atmospheric Chemistry and Radiation Science 7.1 Research Objective: Provide understanding of key atmospheric processes and trends through a portfolio of measurements and atmospheric modeling, analysis and prediction -- Identify emerging scientific issues to ensure quality of life in the future -- Conduct space-based observations -- Develop predictive models -- Develop advanced instrument and data processing technologies -- Apply research, technology, and execute public outreach programs 7.2 Key Emerging Technologies: -- Cloud and aerosol micro-physics for climate modeling -- 3-D coupled climate chemistry modeling for climate prediction -- Remote sensing technology to enable observations from Geosynchronous, L1 and L2 locations. 7.3 Required Technical and Atmospheric Science Capabilities: -- Remote sensing technology development -- End-to-end mission design, engineering and management -- Field observations of key physical processes and satellite data validation -- Large-scale scientific information systems -- Earth Science applications, commercialization, and education The primary purpose of this synopsis is to assist LaRC in developing the institute concept. Organizations that have an interest in this activity are requested to provide information that addresses creative concepts on how to implement the institute, specific partnering agreements in support of the institute, ideas on leadership for the institute, and mechanisms for community outreach by the institute. All input should be limited to thirty (30) pages. Implementation questions should be addressed to Clemans A. Powell at (757) 864-2980 (email c.a.powell@larc.nasa.gov). All responses should be submitted no later than August 18, 2000, to Industry Assistance Office, Mail Stop 144, Hampton, VA 23681-0001 . Posted 06/30/00 (D-SN470720). (0182)

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