A--NOTICE OF INTENT TO RELEASE A SOLICITATION FOR NASA LWS GEOSPACE RADIATION BELT STORM PROBES INVESTIGATIONS

Notice of Intent to Release a Solicitation for NASA LWS Geospace Radiation Belt Storm Probes Investigations The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) intends to release an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Investigations in June 2005. These investigations will respond to the overall RBSP mission science objectives to provide understanding, ideally to the point of predictability, of how populations of relativistic electrons and ions in space are formed or changed in response to solar variations. The RBSP mission will require a variety of instruments to be carried on a two identical spacecraft to be launched in the early 2011 with a prime mission of two years. The launch services and spacecraft will be NASA-provided resources. Additionally, investigations proposing to achieve related science objectives through participation in Missions of Opportunity may be selected if their perceived value to the LWS Geospace Program is high. Proposals in response to this AO will be due 90 days after its formal release. Participation in this AO will be open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, NASA Centers and other Government agencies. An extended version of this announcement can be found on the Living with a Star Acquisition website at http://centauri.larc.nasa.gov/lws (select - Announcements). NOTE: Potential proposers should be aware that the Announcement of Opportunity to be released in June 2005 could vary substantially from what is projected in this Notice. Questions or comments about this intention to release an RBSP Investigations AO may be addressed in writing or by E-mail to the NASA LWS Geospace Program Scientist: Dr. Barbara L. Giles Ref.: LWS RBSP AO Earth-Sun System Division Mail Suite 3Q39, Science Mission Directorate National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC 20546-0001 E-mail: contact@example.gov (subject line to read "LWS RBSP AO"). Responses to all inquiries will be answered by E-mail and also posted weekly at the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) location of the LWS Acquisition Program website noted above; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.