A -- TETHERED FORMATION FLYING STUDY

Notice Date

March 12, 2001

Contracting Office

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 215, Greenbelt, MD 20771

ZIP Code

20771

Solicitation Number

572-21009-920

Response Due

April 2, 2001

Point of Contact

Mary E. McKaig, Contract Specialist for Simplified Acquisition, Phone (301) 286-4240, Fax (301) 286-1720, Email Mary.E.McKaig.1@gsfc.nasa.gov

E-Mail Address

Mary E. McKaig (Mary.E.McKaig.1@gsfc.nasa.gov)

Description

NASA/GSFC plans to issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for a tethered formation flying study as a part of the Cross Enterprise Technology Development Program (CETDP) (the CETDP title is "Investigation of an Active Tethered Distributed Spacecraft Architecture"). This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). NASA/GSFC intends to solicit the study from Tethers Unlimited, Inc., Washington, under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source. The tethers in the proposed experiment will have a number of unique requirements. They must survive with high probability for the planned multi-year duration of the mission despite multiple cuts by micrometeorites (which exist throughout the solar system); they must survive years of solar IR, UV and particle radiation; they must survive shock loads during deployment; they should degrade gracefully while maintaining nearly constant length, and they should add as little mass as little as possible to leave maximum mass available for scientific payloads. Tethers Unlimited, Inc. is in the final processes of being issued a series of international patents covering essentially all interconnected multiline knotless tether designs with more than two lines. These patent-pending designs have been shown in numerous studies, both analytical and experimental, to survive cuts or breaks by any mechanism; whether it be micrometeorites, orbital debris, or overstressed weak links, without undergoing catastrophic failure (tearing), and with minimal change in overall length. Because of its "self-healing" design, it can be safely operated at close to its maximum strength, resulting in a lower overall mass for the same survival probability for a this new design compared to the previously used single strand or double strand Caduceus tether. Tethers Unlimited, Inc., also has a proprietary tether dynamics analysis and simulation program which can be used to determine the tether dynamics and line stresses under different deployment and operational scenarios. Thus, their proprietary patent position, their demonstrated rapid tether manufacturing capability, and their tether design and analysis capability, makes Tethers Unlimited, Inc., the only responsible source for this procurement. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on 04/02/2001. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition 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. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html

Web Link

Click here for the latest information about this notice (http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=51#572-21009-920)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010314/ASOL008.HTM (D-071 SN50F8W0)