Aerocapture Technology Demonstration Mission Request for Information Tender, USA - 111562095

Procurement Summary

Country : USA

Summary : Aerocapture Technology Demonstration Mission Request for Information

Deadline : 08 Jan 2025

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 111562095

Document Ref. No. : RFI-SS-EATDM

Financier : Self Financed

Purchaser Ownership : Public

Tender Value : Refer Document

Purchaser's Detail

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Tender Details

Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) is in the early stages of developing a mission design, project implementation plan, and procurement strategy that could potentially lead to an Earth aerocapture technology demonstration mission. NASA LaRC is hereby soliciting information from potential sources with the capabilities to provide spacecraft systems and mission operations for the mission.

The mission would demonstrate aerocapture at Earth as a precursor to using the technology for future planetary science missions. Aerocapture technology reduces the required capability and mass of a spacecraft propulsion system, lowering the launch vehicle payload mass or enabling more capacity for science instruments, and is particularly beneficial for missions to the Solar System's ice giant planets [1]. The demonstration mission is intended to focus on key objectives necessary to mature the technological readiness of aerocapture including vehicle aerodynamics, flight dynamics, guidance, navigation and control, and mission operations. Flight data will be acquired during the demonstration and used to improve and validate tools to design and plan future missions.

NASA is considering two concepts for the mission, both of which use a small entry capsule (referred to as the Aerocapture Flight System, or AFS) to execute the aerocapture maneuver. The AFS is comprised of an aeroshell, reaction control system, other ancillary systems, and a SmallSat that is released into Earth orbit. The first mission concept utilizes a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) as an initial state for the AFS, which is deployed into GTO from an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA). In the second concept, the AFS is released on an Earth intercept trajectory from a spacecraft returning from a lunar mission. A preliminary concept of operations (ConOps) for a GTO-based aerocapture demonstration is illustrated...
Active Contract Opportunity
Notice ID : RFI-SS-EATDM
Related Notice
Department/Ind. Agency : NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Sub-tier : NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Office: NASA LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER
General Information
Contract Opportunity Type: Sources Sought (Original)
Original Published Date: Dec 10, 2024 04:38 pm EST
Original Response Date: Jan 08, 2025 05:00 pm EST
Inactive Policy: 15 days after response date
Original Inactive Date: Jan 23, 2025
Initiative: None

Classification
Original Set Aside:
Product Service Code: AR15 - SPACE R&D SVCS; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH & SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; R&D FACILITIES & MAJ EQUIP
NAICS Code: 336414 - Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing

Place of Performance: USA

Documents

 Tender Notice

RFI-SS-EATDM-Figure-1.pdf