SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- PARACHUTE SUBSYSTEMS FOR VENUS
- Notice Date
- 12/23/2008
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton,VA 23681-0001
- ZIP Code
- 23681-0001
- Solicitation Number
- NNL09PARAVENUS
- Response Due
- 1/16/2009
- Archive Date
- 12/23/2009
- Point of Contact
- Liliana J Richwine, Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-2478, Fax 757-864-7709, - Susan E. McClain, Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-8687, Fax 757-864-8863, />
- E-Mail Address
-
Liliana.J.Richwine@nasa.gov, Susan.E.Mcclain@nasa.gov<br
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley ResearchCenter (LaRC) Request For Information (RFI). It is emphasized that the requestedinformation is for preliminary planning purposes only and does not constitute acommitment, implied or otherwise, that NASA will solicit for such procurement in thefuture. White papers in response to this notice will also verify reasonableness andfeasibility of future requirements and promote competition. The Government is notresponsible for any costs incurred in furnishing this information. Respondents will notbe notified of the results of any government assessments. All information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Governmentfor program planning and acquisition strategy development. As stipulated in FAR15.201(e), responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted bythe Government to form a binding contract. If a solicitation is released in the future,it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. Thisis a 2 step process requiring a Notice of Intent by January 5, 2009 and a White PaperResponse to the RFI by January 16, 2009.NASA is developing potential proposals for the upcoming New Frontiers ProgramAnnouncement of Opportunity (2009) that involve multiple strategies for Venusexploration. Many of the suggested mission concepts aim to deliver scientific payloadsthrough the atmosphere of Venus to the surface. Four options are being considered thatlikely require parachute systems: a lander, a deployed balloon reconnaissance platform,a large probe, and a smaller probe. A key component of these options is a Venus parachutesubsystem. It is highly desirable that this subsystem have a strong heritage to previousplanetary missions, and especially those implemented in the past 15 years. Thisannouncement supersedes any previously released RFI. Each of the four primary optionshas a unique set of elements, as summarized below.For the Venus Lander, the backshell will be ejected and a single canopy will be deployedat an altitude of ~ 65-67 km and a velocity of ~Mach 0.8. The atmospheric entryinterface heat shield will be jettisoned after parachute deployment. The Venus Lander isto touch down in approximately 50 minutes from parachute deployment at an impact velocityof less than 10 m/s. The entry vehicle mass (backshell, Lander, and heat-shield) will be800 to 1000 kg, and the Lander mass will be no more than 695 kg. For the Balloon Reconnaissance Platform, the backshell will be ejected and a singlecanopy will be deployed by a mortar at an altitude of ~ 60 km and a velocity of Mach 0.8to 1.2. The heat shield will be dropped, and approximately 10 seconds after theparachute is deployed, inflation of the balloon will begin. Approximately 30 secondsafter the parachute is deployed, the Balloon Reconnaissance Platform will be releasedfrom the parachute. The speed at release should be less than 50 m/s.For the Larger Probe, a mortar will deploy a pilot parachute which will carry off thebackshell and deploy the main canopy. This system will utilize a 300-500 kg total flightsystem mass and deploy the parachute at ~ 60-65 km for later release around 50km. Theparachute subsystem will consist of two basic groupings of components: a mortar deployedpilot parachute for backshell separation and main parachute deployment; and a mainparachute for heat shield separation and descent speed control. Deployment will occur ata velocity of ~Mach 0.8. The heat shield will be jettisoned approximately 5 secondsafter main parachute deployment. The main parachute will be jettisoned at an altitude of15 to 30 km.For the Small Probe, a mortar will deploy a single canopy which will carry off thebackshell and extract the Small Probe pressure vessel from the aeroshell. This systemwill utilize a 85-120 kg total flight system mass and deploy the parachute at ~ 60-65 kmfor later release around 50 km. The parachute subsystem will consist of two basicgroupings of components: a mortar deployed pilot parachute for backshell separation andmain parachute deployment; and a main parachute for heat shield separation and descentspeed control. Other components are similar to the large probes described above.Requirements for the development of the parachute subsystem for each of the four optionsabove may include the following: 1. Sufficient ground testing to establish the function and reliability of the mortardeployment assembly. 2. Ground and flight testing to validate the strength and performance of the pilot andmain parachutes. 3. Appropriate flight tests to establish the function and reliability of the completeparachute subsystem (from mortar firing to post heat shield separation in one test) atrelevant conditions (Mach=0.8 and equivalent deployment initiation density). 4. Appropriate documentation of the parachute subsystem including stress reports,performance reports, and mechanical interface engineering reports. 5. It is anticipated that the requirements will include delivery of one flight ready unitto NASA for vehicle integration no earlier than, 2015. RFI Requirements and Preparation of White Paper responses. Interested parties should respond with the following critical information: 1. General Description: (a) Physically describe the subsystem including mass and volume.(b) Describe subsystem operation (e.g., how the subsystem is packaged and deployed). 2. Flight or Technology Heritage/Qualification: (a) Describe company relevant experienceto include experience with drag devices in the size range described above. (b) Brieflydescribe any other issues or considerations that the Government should be aware of foremployment of a drag device in this application. 3. Test and Inspection Program: (a) Describe the type of tests and number of eachenvisioned to develop and qualify the complete parachute subsystem; (b) Provideinformation which describes existing manufacturing, inspection and test, and acceptanceplans to control this type of work, and list any current International StandardsOrganization (ISO) certifications or equivalent. 4. Costs: (a) Provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) costs to deliver flight devicesbroken out at a minimum in the following categories: design, testing, and flight unitfabrication/delivery. (b) Provide assumptions used in development of ROM costs.5. Delivery: (a) Provide an estimated delivery time frame. (b) What are the major risksto meeting the delivery - how can they be overcome?6. Experience: (a) Interested parties must have experience with mortar-deployed parachutesystems and the development and fabrication of parachute systems for planetaryexploration missions.Interested parties are requested to submit a Notice of Intent to the Contracting Officersidentified below. Important additional information will be sent to interested partieswho are capable providers of parachute systems and who agree to execute a non-disclosureagreement assuring that the data provided will protected in accordance with theagreement. Notices of Intent are requested by 4:30 pm Eastern Time on January 5, 2008and shall include the following: (a) demonstrated capability in providing parachuatesystems; (b) point of contact for executing non-disclosure agreement; and, (c) secure faxnumber or e-mail address for encrypted e-email.Responses fulfilling the RFI requirements are requested by 4:30 pm. EST by January 16,2009. Interested firms should submit white paper responses and requests for informationto David Gilman at David.A.Gilman@NASA.gov, Liliana J. Richwine atliliana.j.richwine@nasa.gov and Susan McClain at Susan.E.McClain@NASA.gov. If additionalinformation is required to respond to this RFI, please contact the points of contactlisted above. Such information may be International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) orother controlled information, and if so determined, the information will not be availablevia the internet in accordance with NASA LaRC Internet Publishing Content Guidelines andExport Controlled Regulations. If this information is controlled, you will be required toprovide evidence of registration with the Department of State, Directorate of DefenseTrade Controls. You would be required to provide a copy of your registration letterreceived from the Department of State or your PM/DTC Code. Additionally, you would berequired to provide the name and contact address of the Empowered Official as defined inPart 120.25 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR 120-130) whois authorized to receive and assume responsibility for the ITAR controlled information.Limit your white paper response to 15 pages or less not including diagrams, pictures, orfigures. Existing documents that describe suitable existing products or proposed productsare acceptable as Attachments to your response; please limit the total attachment volumeto less than 30 pages. Responses that can stand on their own without further explanationare expected. However, if NASA has specific questions, please provide your contactinformation so we can contact you. Personnel from Vigyan, Inc. (under LaRC contract NNL07AA00B) may also be involved inreviewing the ROM costs. Company names and identifiers will be removed from theinformation prior to providing it to Vigyan personnel. As such, to the extent that anyinformation submitted in response to this RFI is marked as or construed to be proprietaryor business-sensitive, submitters are hereby notified (a) about the potentiality thatsuch information may be disclosed to Vigyan and (b) submission of information in responseto this RFI constitutes consent to such handling and disclosure of submitted information.An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note "B". The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over theInternet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may beaccessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/LaRCBusiness Opportunities home page ishttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=23. It is the offeror'sresponsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation andamendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their owncopy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. Any referenced notes may be viewed atthe following URLs linked below.
- Web Link
-
FedBizOpps Complete View
(https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=4985c4aab87c478e4f964b9e2d9d4b4e&tab=core&_cview=1)
- Record
- SN01723860-W 20081225/081223220248-4985c4aab87c478e4f964b9e2d9d4b4e (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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