SPECIAL NOTICE
18 -- Plan to Facilitate Commercial On-Orbit Robotic Servicing
- Notice Date
- 8/16/2016
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 210.S, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- NNG16FC99RFI
- Point of Contact
- Mary Reph, Phone: 301-286-1917, Joseph Ryan Hancock, Phone: 3012869100
- E-Mail Address
-
mary.g.reph@nasa.gov, joseph.r.hancock@nasa.gov
(mary.g.reph@nasa.gov, joseph.r.hancock@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Purpose: With this synopsis, NASA solicits feedback on its plan for facilitating domestic, commercial on-orbit robotic satellite servicing. Background: NASA is officially moving forward with plans to execute the ambitious, technology-rich Restore-L mission, an endeavor to launch a robotic spacecraft in 2020 to refuel a live satellite. The mission – the first of its kind in low-Earth orbit – will demonstrate that a carefully curated suite of satellite-servicing technologies is fully operational. The planned client for this venture is Landsat 7, a government-owned satellite in low-Earth orbit. Beyond refueling Landsat 7, the Restore-L mission also carries the objective of testing other crosscutting technologies that have applications for several critical upcoming NASA missions. As the Restore-L servicer rendezvous with, grasps, refuels, and relocates a client spacecraft, NASA will be checking important items off of its technology checklist that puts humans closer to Mars exploration. Within NASA, the agency plans to infuse Restore-L derived technologies and capabilities to meet the agency’s objectives for science and exploration, including the Asteroid Redirect Mission, the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), and the Journey to Mars. Future candidate applications for individual Restore-L technologies could include on-orbit manufacturing and assembly, propellant depots, observatory servicing, and orbital debris management. NASA anticipates that Restore-L-derived technologies and capabilities will help unlock numerous new and perhaps unforeseen opportunities. In parallel with the development and execution of this mission, NASA plans to transfer Restore-L technologies to interested domestic U.S. commercial entities to help jumpstart a commercial on-orbit robotic satellite servicing capability. NASA is interested in a strong domestic, commercial satellite-servicing industry that could potentially provide the U.S. government with cost-effective options for meeting future mission needs while also bolstering the domestic economy. Industry has already expressed their interest in taking advantage of NASA-developed servicing technologies in various forums, including responses to NASA’s Requests for Information, workshops, interviews, meetings, and also public outlets. This synopsis aims to continue this dialogue with industry by describing NASA’s plan to transfer Restore-L technologies and soliciting feedback. Plan for the Transfer of Satellite Servicing Technology Subject to feedback from this Synopsis, NASA plans to offer the following to domestic industry through the Restore-L Technology Transfer Plan. Additional details about particular items are provided below. • The direct transfer of a rolling portfolio of technologies and software through patent licenses and other agreements; • Access to NASA’s programmatic, technical and operational expertise in satellite servicing through reasonable contact/engagement with the NASA satellite servicing team during the development and execution of the Restore-L mission and after its conclusion; • Invitations to attend industry days, which provide data from major Restore-L reviews; • Access to major Restore-L review packages post-review (note that packages will be redacted to remove some programmatic information and all third-party intellectual property); • Access to Restore-L Mission Operation Control rooms and other facilities at established intervals during mission development and rehearsals for on-orbit operations; • Opportunity after mission completion to review additional data not available real-time during the mission; • The benefit of NASA’s mature, vetted technology transfer processes already in place; • An open and level playing field for all domestic entities. Note that participation in these activities and offerings will be limited to domestic entities and persons, since many of these items will contain International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data. Participants must show that they have a legitimate use for the technology and that they are capable of implementing and enhancing the technology. They must also demonstrate that they are capable of handling ITAR data responsibly. Technology Transfer. Under the current plan, NASA would transfer its Restore-L technologies, including software, to domestic industry. NASA foresees use of agreements such as Space Act Agreements (SAAs) and/or Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) to implement this plan. These agreements would require that any NASA support (beyond reasonable access) be reimbursable. Agreements would include justification of benefit to NASA. Industry Days. NASA plans to host industry days for domestic industry to provide data from major Restore-L reviews. These industry days would coincide with the major reviews of the Restore-L Mission Development Life-cycle, such as the: Spacecraft Bus Systems Requirements Review (in Spring 2017), Mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in August 2017, Mission Critical Design Review (CDR) (mid 2018), and Operational Readiness Review (ORR) (early 2020). Access to Facilities. NASA also plans to provide domestic industry controlled access to the Mission Operations Control rooms for Restore-L and the Robotic Operations Center at NASA Goddard during specific times before/during the mission. Post-mission Workshop. In conjunction with its technology transfer plan, NASA also plans to host a workshop after Restore-L services its client to provide post-flight data and lessons learned. Satellite Servicing Technologies The Restore-L technologies that will be available fall into the following general technology categories, and may include: • Relative navigation system: sensor suite (visible, infrared, lidar), algorithms (range, bearing, pose); • Servicing avionics & software: SpaceCubeTM processor, Video Distribution & Storage Unit; • Robot arm and software: NASA Servicing Arm, Robot Electronics Unit, robot flight software • Tool drive system & tools: Advanced Tool Drive System, sophisticated servicing tools (gripper, blanket cutter, wire cutter, cap removal, & nozzle tool) and adapters; • Propellant Transfer System: Propellant Transfer Assembly, zero-g fluid flow meter, hose management system; • Cooperative Servicing Aids: rendezvous decals, Cooperative Servicing Valve. Note that in addition to Restore-L, NASA’s servicing team is working on other satellite servicing projects. Technologies from these efforts may be available for transfer to domestic commercial industry at a later date. Response to Synopsis Domestic industry interested in the plans set forth within this synopsis should respond to this synopsis with information such as the following: • Provide any questions about the synopsis that NASA should answer before implementing the plan, preferably before final responses are due for this Synopsis. Note that answers will be posted for all interested parties. • Provide ideas for improving this Technology Transfer Plan. • Describe: o Your interest in NASA’s Restore-L Technology Transfer plan, o What servicing technologies are important to your business plans, and o How you would use the technologies. • Describe additional models for NASA consideration. This could include domestic industry collaboration that you would recommend for accomplishing the Government’s objective of promoting the development and availability of commercial satellite servicing capabilities. Within your response, include your information for future contact (such as information about the industry days): a. Name of Respondent, b. Respondent’s address, c. Name & contact information for primary Respondent Point of Contact (POC): include POC’s name, title (or affiliation with Respondent entity), email address, and phone number; and d. General description of respondent’s capabilities and experience in the subject matter of this synopsis, e. Capability for handling ITAR data. NASA plans to take the input received from industry and release the final Technology Transfer Plan on FedBizOpps in January 2017. Disclaimers It is not NASA’s intent to publicly disclose Respondents’ proprietary information obtained in response to this synopsis. 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. It is emphasized that this Synopsis is NOT a Request for Proposal, Quotation, or Invitation for Bid. This Synopsis is for information and planning purposes only, subject to FAR Clause 52.215-3 titled “Solicitation for Information or Planning Purposes,” and is NOT to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contractual agreement. The Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this Synopsis. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the FedBizOpps website. It is the responsibility of any potential offerors/bidders to monitor this site for the release of any solicitation, synopsis, or related documents. As part of its assessment of industry capabilities, the NASA-GSFC may contact respondents to this Synopsis if clarifications or further information is needed. Responding to this Synopsis Any entity responding to this synopsis must be a domestic entity. All synopsis queries must be submitted via e-mail to the point of contact listed below. Please reference <<<NNG16FC99RFI>> in any response. All final submissions shall be submitted via e-mail or other electronic means. E-mail the POC listed below no later than September 30, 2016, 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. Files may be submitted in MS Word, PDF, or RTF format. All responses shall use a minimum 12-point font size for text. Point of Contact Name: Mary Reph Title: Commercial Servicing Facilitation Manager Phone: 301.286-1917 e-mail: mary.g.reph@nasa.gov
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- Record
- SN04226205-W 20160818/160816235757-b259502686aad42a5a468c1d0ae68dca (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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