SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER (LRO) LIGHT-WEIGHT SOLAR ARRAY
- Notice Date
- 9/27/2005
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 927110
— Space Research and Technology
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 210.S, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- RLEP-LRO-RFI-LWSA
- Response Due
- 10/12/2005
- Archive Date
- 9/27/2006
- Description
- Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Request for Information (RFI) LIGHT-WEIGHT SOLAR ARRAY (LWSA) THIS IS *NOT* A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUOTATION, OR INVITATION TO BID NOTICE. RFI Purpose The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Program may seek to procure a Light-Weight Solar Array (LWSA) for the LRO spacecraft. This subsystem would include the solar cells/electrical hardware, support structure/substrate, and any array unfolding devices as necessary. The LWSA vendor would provide all the engineer, design, assembly, and test support required for the development of the LWSA. The LWSA would be integrated to the LRO spacecraft. In order to meet the extremely aggressive LRO schedule the LWSA must have a high Technical Readiness Level (TRL). The system must demonstrate design and qualification heritage, with particular interest in a high power to mass ratio. This RFI is neither a Request for Proposal, nor a Request for Quotation, nor an Invitation to Bid. Therefore, this RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor will the Government pay for information provided in response to this RFI. Overview The Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) is a sequence of missions intended to perform measurements, technology demonstrations and infrastructure deployments to enable a successful human return to the Moon in the 2015-2020 timeframe. RLEP consists of a sequence of (nominally) annual missions to the lunar vicinity. Each mission will build upon the discoveries and emplaced infrastructure provided by previous missions. The RLEP sequence begins in 2008 with the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission will conduct measurements and investigations of the lunar surface and its environment. Primary objectives include high-resolution topographic mapping of the surface, characterization of the lunar radiation environment and investigation of potential in-situ resource concentrations. LRO will maintain a 50 km lunar polar orbit for a period of 1 year following commissioning, with the potential for up to 4 years of extended mission in a low-maintenance orbit. Possible extended mission scenarios include additional measurement collection and proximity relay cross-support for follow-on RLEP and international missions. More information about the LRO mission including science objectives, spacecraft architectures, and spacecraft development schedule can be found on line at http://lunar.gsfc.nasa/missions.gov. Description of Light-Weight Solar Array (LWSA) LRO will utilize a solar array to capture the Sun?s energy, convert it to electrical energy, power the spacecraft, and charge the spacecraft batteries. Due to the size/mass of the LRO Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle fairing envelop constraints, the mass and stowage requirements cannot be met with a conventional rigid array. Therefore, GSFC requires a Deployable LWSA. The LWSA must be folded against the spacecraft for launch to fit within the launch-vehicle fairing, and be properly supported during launch. The LWSA must include a constraint system and release from the side of the spacecraft. The Solar Array will be opened soon after separation from the launch vehicle. The Solar Array may require a deployment boom and articulation system to meet the Solar Array pointing requirements. However, the boom and articulation system are not part of this RFI. LWSA Criteria 1) TRL: 5 or higher (new developments will not be considered) 2) Minimum risk to schedule (Qual. heritage): Delivery by November 2007 3) Specific Power: Mass: 19 kg, Power: 1850W EOL (see perf. spec) 4) Cost 5) Stowed Volume (see performance spec) 6) Robustness in the applicable environment (see perf. spec) 7) Ease of ground testing and handling LRO Spacecraft Requirements / Information The LRO LWSA design and performance requirements are given in the attached ?LRO LWSA Performance Specifications and Information Document?. Included are the Power requirements, general Mechanical/Thermal design requirements, and interface constraints and considerations. Response Content The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center is interested in soliciting a system level design of a LWSA including interface definitions, development schedule, cost estimates, and any risk evaluations. The objectives of this RFI are to improve NASA?s knowledge of industry's capabilities, and to improve the overall understanding of what LWSA options exist for LRO. To consolidate our planning, we request responses from industry within 15 calendar days of the release date of this RFI. The response shall be in the form of written and illustrated concepts, estimates for subsystem cost and schedule, assumptions used for cost and schedule estimates including interface and design assumptions, and description of capability. Also included in the response should be performance characteristics of the LWSA, including mass, total cell area, array shape, and power output capability (BOL & EOL). Responses can be submitted via email. The subject line of the submission should be "Response to LRO Light-Weight Solar Array RFI? and attachments should be in Microsoft WORD, POWERPOINT, or PDF format. The email text must give a point-of-contact and provide his/her name, address, telephone/fax numbers, and email address. The information is requested for planning purposes only, subject to FAR Clause 52.215-3, entitled "Solicitation for Information for Planning Purposes." It is not NASA's intent to publicly disclose vendor proprietary information obtained during this solicitation. To the full extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations, information identified by a respondent as "Proprietary or Confidential" will be kept confidential. Technical questions should be directed to: John Lyons/Lead Solar Array Engineer, LRO/RLEP, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, Code 563, at (301) 286-3841 or John.W.Lyons@nasa.gov. Procurement related questions should be directed to: Julie Janus at (301) 286-4931 or Julie.A.Janus@nasa.gov.
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