A -- ADVANCED SPACE TRANSPORTATION

Notice Date

December 14, 2001

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

35812

Response Due

January 14, 2002

Point of Contact

Marlyce E. Alexander, Contract Specialist, Phone (256) 544-8344, Fax (256) 544-6062, Email marlyce.alexander@msfc.nasa.gov -- Cynthia B. Hollingsworth, Contracting Officer, Phone (256) 544-1656, Fax (256) 544-6062, Email cynthia.hollingsworth@msfc.nasa.gov

E-Mail Address

Marlyce E. Alexander (marlyce.alexander@msfc.nasa.gov)

Description

THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION. IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI). NASA does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation. It shall not be used as a proposal. This document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition. Prospective offerors are invited to submit comments or questions to the identified point of contact, no later than January 14, 2002. In responding reference RFI-8-121401. NASA/MSFC is seeking ideas and information from potential offerors on the development of advanced propulsion technologies in the areas of aerocapture, electric propulsion, plasma sails, solar sails, solar thermal, and momentum exchange tethers. Particular interest is information or ideas that address the challenges and issues that must be overcome to advance these technologies from their current state to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. This request is not intended for information concerning flight demonstrations, technologies beyond TRL 6 or at development stages less than TRL 3. To the extent possible, the potential offeror is requested to provide a self-assessment of performance, schedule, and system goals for each technology address. Background and Submission Requirements Research conducted by the In-Space Propulsion Investment Area is at the forefront of NASA's efforts to seek new means of enabling faster and more cost efficient missions to the outer planets. Advanced propulsion technologies are being developed to contend with NASA's unique challenges of enabling missions with fast access throughout the solar system and the ability to rendezvous with, orbit and conduct in situ exploration of planets, satellites and small bodies. The information that is being sought for each advanced propulsion technology area is as follows: AEROCAPTURE: Future Solar System Exploration missions, which include orbiter and sample return class missions, will require a spacecraft to enter and maneuver in a planet's atmosphere to meet NASA's science objectives. Significant near-term advances in the technology readiness are required for Aerocapture technologies. The Aerocapture technology disciplines that are uniquely coupled to the outer planet missions include the following: Thermal Protection Systems (TPS), Aerothermal environments, Guidance Navigation & Control (GN&C), advanced Instrumentation, H2/He focused ground based facilities, and Aerodynamics. In addition, advancements must accommodate the unique H2/He gas composition of some planetary atmospheres and the development of entry vehicle shapes that extend beyond the current Lift-to-Drag (L/D) knowledge base. Provide innovative ideas and approaches to advancements in the above areas (specifically applicable to outer planet missions). HIGH POWER ELECTRIC PROPULSION: High Power Electric Propulsion (EP) has the potential to open up new opportunities in the near term for robotic scientific exploration with the technology evolving to human exploration applications. Key technology advances for near term higher power electric propulsion systems include substantial improvements in component and system lifetimes, and significant increases in Isp and power levels (will possibly require between 15 and 100 kW power levels) over the current SOA as well as a decrease in EP system alpha. Approaches dealing with logical although innovative advancements that will be required to support a near term implementation of electric propulsion are sought. In addition to development of near term systems, technology investments toward evolutionary power levels (500 kW to MW power levels) should be pursued simultaneously. Provide ideas and approaches that would further the research, development, and demonstration of electric propulsion systems and components for future application in very high power solar and nuclear electric propulsion architectures. Included should be any innovative approaches to enable the demonstration and operation of these EP systems in relevant, ground-based environments. SOLAR THERMAL: Solar thermal propulsion systems are being investigated and studied by NASA and the Department Of Defense, for orbital transfer and maneuvering transportation systems. In addition to primary propulsion, solar thermal technologies also have the potential of providing power to the payload. This technology has potential for primary propulsion in earth orbital applications as well as serving as a transport stage through earth's gravity well for payloads going beyond earth's orbit. As with Nuclear thermal propulsion, solar thermal propulsion offers unique combinations of Isp and thrust. Keys to furthering this technology include advancements in high temperature materials, inflatable structures, demonstration and testing of the sub-system and system level technology in a relevant ground based environment, and management of cryogenic fuels. Provide concepts as well as approaches that address the technology challenges. SOLAR SAILS: Solar sails are being studied for a variety of NASA missions and may provide low-cost propellantless propulsion, reduced trip times, and access to unstable orbits that cannot be reached with other means of propulsion. Candidate missions for solar sails include a Solar Polar Imager, missions to small bodies, the outer planets, and the edge of the Solar System, spacecraft stationed on the Earth-Sun line to provide advance warning of geomagnetic storms, and spacecraft stationed over the Earth's poles for communications and remote sensing. Provide development approaches that will advance today's state of the art in this technology area without requiring a flight validation or which would be in a critical path prior to a flight demonstration. PLASMA SAILS: Recent laboratory experiments and computer simulations have shown that plasma sails are a viable technology candidate as a propulsion system for many of the candidate Outer Planet missions. Advancement of three crucial technology focus areas is needed for the advancement of the plasma sail technology readiness level. These area are: (A) Computational studies of plasma sail fundamental interactions, processes; and performance; (B) proof of concept of sub-systems for near-term technology development; and (C) long-term technology development. Provide concepts and approaches focused on the above-mentioned areas. MOMENTUM EXCHANGE ELECTRODYNAMIC REBOOST (MXER) TETHER SYSTEMS: The MXER tether technology has the capability to provide propellantless propulsion from a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to either a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) or a lunar transfer orbit. Advancement of four crucial technology focus areas is needed for the advancement of the MXER technology readiness level. These area are: (A) Orbital propagation of large dynamic structures; (B) lightweight tether/payload catch mechanisms and analysis; (C) Electrodynamic spin-up and orbital boost; and (D) Plasma contactor technology. Provide concepts and approaches focused on technology advances in the above-mentioned areas. Only United States companies/citizens are requested to respond to this announcement. Interested parties should submit information not to exceed three pages (per technology area) and a maximum of two resumes (not to exceed two pages each). The format is at the discretion of the potential offeror. All proprietary information should be marked. Responses will be handled accordingly. Comments, ideas and information may be forwarded to the identified point of contact via electronic transmission or by facsimile transmission. This solicitation/synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the review. Any questions regarding this announcement should be directed to the identified point of contact. The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office 97 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/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?group=C&pin=62 It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. 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=62#99641)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011218/ASOL011.HTM (D-348 SN5151X6)