SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- NASA REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - ENABLING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT ANDDEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
- Notice Date
- 5/10/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- NNH10ZTT002L
- Response Due
- 6/4/2010
- Archive Date
- 5/10/2011
- Point of Contact
- Dr. Christopher L. Moore, Deputy Director, Advanced Capabilities Division, Phone 202-358-4650, Fax 202-358-3557, Email christopher.moore@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Dr. Christopher L. Moore
(christopher.moore@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- In Fiscal Year 2011, NASA plans to begin the Enabling Technology Development andDemonstrations(ETDD) Program. The primary goal of the ETDD Program is to develop anddemonstrate the technologies needed to reduce cost and expand the capability of futurespace exploration activities. A secondary goal is to create opportunities for engineersand scientists from NASA, private industry, and academia to gain experience in designing,building, and operating new space technologies and spacecraft.A third goal is todevelop technologies that can be relevant to non-exploration space activities and life onEarth.To support program formulation and acquisition planning activities, the ETDD Program isseeking ideas relevant to an initial set of demonstration projects to mature and testenabling technologies for future human exploration and robotic precursor missions to theMoon, Lagrange points, Near Earth Objects, and Mars and its moons. Each demonstration project is framed around answering a key question derived fromarchitectural studies. To demonstrate new capabilities that help address the keyquestions, technologies will be integrated into prototype systems and validated in arelevant environment.Demonstration projects will have an expected project life cycleof two to four years.Demonstration projects will transition relevant technologies from lower to highertechnology readiness levels (TRLs). They will take advantage of the full range ofavailable platforms, as appropriate to their need and specific objectives, including:ground-based test facilities and analogs, flight test aircraft, suborbital soundingrockets, commercial reusable suborbital vehicles, robotic spacecraft, the InternationalSpace Station, and other test platforms.The initial set of demonstration projects are in the areas of In-Situ ResourceUtilization (ISRU), In-Space Propulsion, Autonomous Precision Landing, Telerobotics, andFission Power Systems Technology. Demonstration projects in other technical areas willbe formulated later as plans for exploration beyond low Earth orbit become more definite.NASA is inviting industry, academia, international, and other government andnon-government organizations to provide information. Ideas are sought fordemonstrations, technologies, systems, and platforms that will help to address thefollowing five key questions and objectives: 1.In-Situ Resource Utilization: Lunar Volatiles CharacterizationThis project will address the key question How can we locate, access, and extractvolatile resources on the Moon? The objective of the demonstration is to verify the presence of water and other volatileson the Moon by direct in-situ measurements of the lunar regolith. The project will buildupon recent field tests of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technology bydemonstrating operation of a prototype ISRU system in a thermal vacuum chamber. Then aflight experiment to demonstrate lunar resource prospecting, characterization, andextraction will be developed for testing on a robotic precursor mission around 2015. The top-level requirements for this demonstration are:Locate sub-surface areas of elevated hydrogen bearing compoundsAcquire sub-surface samples for analysisAnalyze soil samples for mineral composition, volatile content and bulk regolithcharacteristics.Demonstrate the potential for volatiles and regolith utilizationMust be capable of flying on a variety of lunar lander precursor missions in apolar location.Overall system mass must be less than 60kg and consume no more than 200W of peakpower. To enable this mission, information is sought on several key capabilities:An instrument system that would be able to detect hydrogen with a concentrationof at least the minimum required water ice abundance (0.5 wt%) for ISRU contained in asurface layer of at least 5 cm thickness on top of otherwise dry regolith. Additionally,the instrument should also be able to detect at least 1 wt% of water buried beneath 1meter of dry regolith.The time required to measure abundance and approximate burialdepth shall be no more than 10 minutes at a given location. Instrument system massshould not exceed 2.5 kg.An instrument system that can quantify volatile gases released by sample heatingbelow atomic number 64 (of particular interest H2, He, He-3, CO, CO2, CH4, H2O, N2, O2,Ar, NH3, HCN, H2S, SO2). The instrument system must also be able to withstand exposure tothe release of HF, HCl, or Hg that may result from heating regolith samples to hightemperatures. The instrument should be capable of detecting 1000 ppm to 100%concentration of the volatiles in the gas phase. The instrument should have a mass ofless than 5 kg not including any vacuum components required to operate in the laboratoryenvironment.A thermal vacuum chamber will be required to test the experiment in simulatedlunar conditions. This chamber would not only need to approximate lunar temperatures andpressure, but it would also have to allow a bed of lunar regolith stimulant to be insidethe chamber so that a complete end-to-end test of the system could be conducted. Thechamber size desired is roughly 8 x 8 x 8. Information is sought on chambers that mayalready exist or could be modified to meet this requirement. 2.High-Power Electric Propulsion SystemThis project will address the key question How can we reduce travel time and cost forhuman deep-space exploration? The objective of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility (TRL 6) of an electricpropulsion system that contains the combination of thrust, specific impulse, andefficiency required for human exploration architectures and a possible FlagshipDemonstration mission to begin as early as 2016. The system should emphasize thrustertechnology and include power processing, a propellant feed system, and heat rejection.Adigital control interface unit can be included as needed. The proposed system must offeradvantages at a system level over state-of-the-art flight systems.The demonstration project must include integrated propulsion system functional testing ina representative environment. The results of this testing will be used to determine thesuitability of the technology for a flight demonstration project, and system-levelperformance for use by mission planners. A ground test in a thermally controlled vacuumchamber is an acceptable representative environment.The top-level requirements for this demonstration are:Demonstrate a high power (> 100 kW), high specific impulse, electricpropulsion system in an environment representative of space. Individual thruster powerlevels should be 25 kWe or higher.Electric propulsion system must be scalable to the power levels required forhuman exploration missions, providing the relevant combination of specific mass, specificimpulse, and efficiency. Ranges for these parameters are:oSeveral hundred kWe to several MWe power;o<10 to 70 kg/kWe specific mass, including the power system but excludingpropellant and propellant tankage;o3,000 to 7,000 sec specific impulse;o>60 to 70+% efficiency.Electric propulsion system lifetimes of 1 to 3 years of continuous operationLeverage existing high-power, high-efficiency power generation systems 3.Autonomous Precision LandingThis project will address the key question How can we land autonomously, precisely, andsafely on an extra-terrestrial surface in uncertain environments?The objective of the demonstration is to test an integrated autonomous landing and hazardavoidance system consisting of imaging sensors and navigation and control algorithms. NASA will initiate development of an Earth-based flight experiment to demonstrate anautonomous precision landing and hazard avoidance system on a small lander test bed. NASAwill pursue use of this system on a U. S. or international robotic precursor mission tothe Moon or other planetary body around 2014. This technology will enable autonomouscargo landers, and reduce risk for future human exploration missions.The top-level requirements for this demonstration are:Demonstrate autonomous landing of a robotic vehicle at any surface locationcertified as feasible for landingMust be capable of identifying vehicle landing hazards in real-time, diverting toa selected safe landing aim point, and achieving a precise and controlled touch down atthe selected location.Must be capable of landing in any lighting conditionsMust be capable of precise and controlled landing within several meters of alanding aim point selected from the hazard map generated on-the-fly during the approachphase without using external navigational aids.Must be capable of flying on a variety of lunar lander precursor missionsTo enable this mission, information is sought on several key capabilities:Terrestrial Free Flyer Test BedA terrestrial free flyer test bed is desired with the following attributes:Payload capability of at least 100 kg for a NASA sensor and electronics packagein addition to the mass required for the GN&C system and a power storage and distributionsystem capable of providing 500 W average power for 15 minutes.Operational envelope of at least one kilometer in altitude with the capability oftranslating up to two kilometers laterally between the take off and landing locations.Capability of approximating a range of lunar descent and landing trajectories.The reference trajectory is defined in terms of an approach phase with a flight pathangle of ~30 degrees, an initial slant range of one kilometer, and a maximum horizontalvelocity of 20 m/s followed by a vertical, or near vertical, terminal descent phasebeginning at an altitude of ~30 m to 50 m.Minimum flight time of 210 seconds while carrying the maximum payload.Hazard Detection SystemComponents or sets of components with the following attributes are desired for areal-time hazard detection system (HDS) capable of mapping large contiguous areas ofplanetary terrain (10,000 m2 or greater) in five seconds or less at an operational slantrange of 1000 m or greater. Low mass and low power solutions are highly preferred. Key components of interest include:Flash lidar sensor providing a data capture rate of ~2 Mpixels per second andcapable of reliably identifying surface roughness variations on the order of 30cm andlocal slopes exceeding five degreesHigh-speed gimbal (internal or external to the flash lidar) providinghigh-precision point tracking and mosaicing (map generation) modes of operation for theflash lidar during the descent and landing trajectoryHigh output laser (~50 mJ) with a short pulse width (~6 ns to 8 ns) and uniformenergy distribution that is compatible with the flash lidar sensor in terms of repetitionrate (~30 Hz) and wavelength (near infrared, 1 to 2 microns)Zoom optics (4x or greater) for the flash lidar enabling control over the sensorfield of view during descentFiber optics or other means for coupling the high output laser source with thetransmit or combined transmit/receive flash lidar optics located on the gimbalHigh-efficiency, high-performance, general purpose processor system forgenerating and parsing the 3-D terrain data provided by the flash lidar sensor. Theideal processor system would provide greater than 10 GFLOP effective computation rate,more than 1 GB of DDR memory, and greater than 1 Gb/s I/O. Components proposed for theHDS must have a practical maturation path leading to spaceflight qualification.4.Human Exploration TeleroboticsThis project will address the key question How do we use human-robotic partnerships toincrease productivity, reduce costs, and mitigate risks?The objective of the demonstration is to assess how telerobotics can improve theefficiency, productivity, and scientific return of human exploration. Remotely operatedand autonomous robots can perform a variety of tasks that are tedious, highly-repetitive,or long-duration. Robots can work before, during, and after human missions to increasethe effectiveness and capability of crew. The central challenge is to understand howhuman and telerobot activities can be coordinated to maximize mission success, whileminimizing risk. In 2011, this project will initially demonstrate teleoperation of a robot on the groundby crew on the International Space Station (ISS). In 2012, this project will demonstratehuman teams operating and working with multiple robots both on the ground (orbit toground) and on the ISS (ground to orbit). The demonstration will simulate humans atNear Earth Objects or in Mars orbit controlling robot teams on the surface to explore andprepare for the crew landing.The top-level requirements for this demonstration are:Remotely operate robots to perform human exploration tasks:(a)surface robots at high-fidelity analogue sites controlled from space;(b)robots onboard space vehicles controlled from groundQuantify benefits and limitations of humans in orbit controlling robots on thesurface, and vice versa (must consider data network bandwidth, communications latency,control modes, concept of operations, autonomy level, etc.)Demonstrate heterogeneous robots collaborating with human teams (various teamconfigurations including Earth-based ground control)Implement large-scale participatory exploration (real-time public involvementand/or citizen science in telerobotic missions)Evaluate human-robot productivity, workload, performance, and human safetyMature dexterous and human safe robotic technologies in 0g, radiation, EMI andother space environmental conditions.Conduct high-fidelity experiments involving ISS (requires well-definedhypotheses, protocols, and metrics)Develop approach for maturing and infusing prototype systems into flight missions(as demonstrations and/or experiments)5.Fission Power Systems TechnologyThis project will address the key question How do we provide abundant, low-cost, andreliable electric power for long-duration missions?The objective is to perform a system-level test of an integrated (~1/4 power) nuclearpower unit to establish the technology readiness of power conversion and thermalmanagement technologies for a 40 kWe-class fission power system. The power unit mustconsist of a non-nuclear heat source that simulates a small reactor, power converters, acoolant loop, and a high-temperature deployable radiator. The test will validate theperformance of the integrated system in a thermal vacuum chamber and be completed in2014. This technology could then be demonstrated in space as part of an advancedelectric propulsion system around 2016, or later as part of a robotic planetary surfacemission. This project involves a partnership with the Department of Energy.The top-level requirements for this demonstration are:Perform an end-to-end, system-level test using full size components in anoperationally relevant environment of a 40 kWe-class fission power system with thefollowing characteristics:(a)Must ultimately be capable of operating on Mars, the Moon, or in deep space.(b)Continuous power independent of location(c)Low sensitivity to environment characteristics (e.g., temperature, dust, etc.)(d)Operational simplicity (self-regulating without human control for weeks)(e)Safe during all mission phases(f)Long life (~8 years or more) with no maintenanceValidate the results of the technology demonstration against model predictionsfor a conceptual power system with the above characteristicsTo maintain affordability of the technology demonstration, an electrically-heatedreactor simulator that has been validated with Department of Energy models based onhistorical reactor data should be used.PURPOSE OF RFIThe information obtained will be used by NASA for planning and acquisition strategydevelopment. NASA will use the information obtained as a result of this RFI on anon-attribution basis.Providing data and information that is limited or restricted foruse by NASA for that purpose would be of very little value and such restricted/limiteddata/information is not solicited. No information or questions received will be postedto any website or public access location. NASA does not plan to respond to theindividual responses, but will provide an update to development and acquisition plans.The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or tootherwise pay for the information solicited. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responsesto this notice are not considered offers, shall not be used as a proposal, and cannot beaccepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Inputs shall be compliant with alllegal and regulatory requirements concerning limitations on export controlled items. Tothe full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and otherlaws and regulations, information identified by a respondent as 'Proprietary orConfidential' will be kept confidential.WORKSHOPRespondents to this RFI will have an opportunity to meet with NASA representatives todiscuss the Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration program, and how theirideas may contribute to achieving the programs goals at a NASA Exploration EnterpriseWorkshop to be held on May 25 and May 26 in Galveston, TX. Details about the workshopare posted on the web at http://www.aiaa.org/events/NASAworkshop RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONSResponses must be submitted electronically. Interested respondents can use either theNSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com) web site or the Grants.gov web site forresponse submission. Regardless of which web site is used for submission, all respondentsare required to register with NSPIRES first, and are urged to access this site well inadvance of the due date to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter therequested identifier information. This data site is secure and all information entered isstrictly for NASA use only. The requirements of this RFI shall be addressed in written format, and the document shallbe uploaded no later than 5:00 PM EDT on June 4, 2010.Instructions for submitting responses to NASA via Grants.gov may be found on theGrants.gov portal at http://www.grants.gov/ Respondents using NSPIRES are requested to submit the offered idea as a Notice of Intent(NOI) by following the online instructions. NSPIRES accepts fully electronic RFIresponses through a combination of data-based information (the electronic Cover Page) andan uploaded PDF file (the attachment) that contains the body of the response.To initiate an RFI Response: Log in using your NSPIRES user name and password. Access Proposals in the NSPIRES Options PageClick on the Create NOI button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.Select the Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration Program Request forInformation (NNH10ZTT002L).Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in NSPIRES to complete your CoverPage.The attachment must be uploaded as a single.PDF file and shall be no more than 10 pages(8.5' x 11', using not smaller than 12 point Arial font) in length. No additionaldocuments should be uploaded. To ensure proper transmission, the size of the.PDF fileshould not exceed 10 MB in size.The following information should be included in the attachment:1.Description of the demonstration, technology, system, or platform being offeredand its state of readiness.2.Statement of offerors capabilities to provide the proposed demonstration,technology, system, or platform.3.Proposed approach for partnering with NASA.Electronic submission of the RFI responses through NSPIRES will be open between May 7,2010 and June 4, 2010. Requests for assistance in accessing and/or using the NSPIRES website should be submittedby E-mail to nspires-help@nasaprs.com or by telephone to (202) 479-9376 Monday throughFriday, 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Eastern Time. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If asolicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA AcquisitionInternet Service.All questions and/or comments shall be directed to Chris Moore via electronic mail only.
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