A -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) 2ND GENERATION RLV RISK REDUCTION NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI) is focused on reducing technical, business and design risks associated with developing a 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) system. A 2nd Generation RLV program is aimed at improving safety to a probability of one failure in 10,000 flights while reducing operations costs to $1,000 per pound of payload or less. This represents a hundred-fold improvement in safety and a tenfold improvement in cost. The Space Launch Initiative was built on three basic principles: 1. Commercial convergence: NASA seeks to understand the potential convergence between commercial and NASA mission needs, technology requirements and operations considerations. NASA seeks to fly its unique missions on privately owned and operated launch systems with an integrated architecture. 2. Competition: NASA seeks to create an environment of competition to assure the best and most innovative ideas are developed and supported by the SLI. 3. Assured access and evolvability: NASA seeks to provide means of access to the International Space Station on more than one U.S. Earth-to-orbit launch vehicle, and to develop future systems that can evolve to meet all critical mission requirements that may emerge. NASA intends to solicit proposals in the Fall of 2000 to initiate systems engineering and requirements definition to further define requirements for commercial and NASA missions. Proposals will also be solicited to initiate priority risk reduction activities for the initial program phases. In support of this process, NASA requests that industry provide information in response to this Request for Information. Any restrictions or limitations on the use of the information submitted in response to this RFI must be clearly identified, explained and properly marked, and may affect the government's ability to plan an effective program that meets both industry needs and program goals, as well as the government's development of a solicitation for future 2nd Generation RLV Risk Reduction activities. I. Technical Background The overall 2nd Generation RLV Risk Reduction strategy will seek to meet the following goals: 1. Increased Safety and Reduced Cost: Provide increased levels of safety to 1/10,000 loss of crew and significant operational cost reductions to $1,000/pound price of payload to orbit. 2. Commercial convergence: Ensure risk reduction activities, objective requirements assessments and trades to: (a) minimize technical and business risk for full-scale development, (b) maximize NASA leverage of the commercial launch market through use of existing and future commercial capabilities, (c) maximize competitiveness of U.S. launch industry, and (d) support requisite private ownership and operation of Earth-to-orbit RLV's and other potential systems. 3. Competition, Assured Access, and Evolvability: Enable at least two viable commercial competitors and ensure adequate systems flexibility and standardization to: (a) provide means of access to the International Space Station on more than one U.S. Earth-to-orbit launch vehicle, and (b) affordably meet near-term requirements while providing growth paths to meet future requirements. II. Response Requirements The following information is requested in accordance with instructions in paragraph III below: 1. Identify and prioritize risk reduction activities for 2nd Generation RLV Architecture to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of critical technologies to Level 6. 2. Identify specific architectures to which each risk reduction activity is applicable. 3. Explain how each proposed risk reduction activity supports 2nd Generation RLV Goals. 4. Identify the expected payoffs and benefits of each risk reduction activity. 5. Identify the recommended technical approach and rationale for each risk reduction activity (e.g. computational analysis, ground test, flight tests) including range of parameters to be explored (e.g. Mach range for wind tunnel test). 6. For risk reduction activities requiring testing, or technology demonstrations, provide the rationale for ground test vs flight test, including scale and fidelity discussions, as applicable. 7. Provide schedule and rough order of magnitude cost estimate for each risk reduction activity. 8. Identify both a technical and business point of contact including addresses and telephone numbers. III. Submittal Instructions Response to this RFI is open to all organizations or teams of organizations from industry (traditional and non-traditional), educational institutions, nonprofit organizations (includes not-for-profit organizations), and U.S. Government agencies. Respondents should address all the items in the order that they are listed in Section II. Responses should include an Executive Summary of not more than 5 pages identifying all risk reduction activities, prioritized from highest to lowest, with applicable architectures. The Executive Summary is requested in table format as follows: Risk Reduction Activity Table *Risk Reduction Activity, listed in Priority Order from Highest to Lowest *Applicable Architecture In the spirit of an RFI, no overall page limit is required and no response will be excluded from review; however, respondents should recognize that the number on the review team is limited and thus each respondent should focus on the highest priority risk reduction activities. The description of each risk reduction activity should be limited to ten pages. One (1) original and 10 written copies of this submission are required in response to this RFI. In addition, please submit one electronic copy (in Microsoft Word) on a zip, jaz cassette, or CD ROM. Written and electronic submissions shall be submitted no later than 4:00 PM CST on August 15, 2000, to the attention of Cynthia Hollingsworth, PS-51B, Building 4203, Room 6100, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL. 35812. Questions regarding this RFI may be directed to Cynthia Hollingsworth at (256) 544-1656 or via e-mail to cynthia.hollingsworth@msfc.nasa.gov. This synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. Any questions regarding this announcement should be directed to the identified point of contact. In the event a solicitation is issued any information related to the solicitation will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office Suite (Word 6.0, Excel 5.0, or PowerPOint 4.0) format and will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/MSFC Business Opportunities home page is http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/home.html WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=62#RFI-7-19-2000. E-MAIL: Cynthia B. Hollingsworth, cynthia.hollingsworth@msfc.nasa.gov. Posted 07/19/00 (D-SN476786).

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