Description: NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners to develop proposals for the Mission and Science Measurement Technology - 2004 (MSMT-2004) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Synopsis: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released a draft NASA Research Announcement (NRA) entitled, "Mission and Science Measurement Technology (MSMT) - 2004" (see http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_r/open.cfm). The final NRA is due to be released shortly. The MSMT theme seeks proposals for exploratory research and technology development in the Enabling Concepts and Technologies Program (ECT), which defines new system concepts and develops new technologies to enable scientific measurements in support of the Aerospace Technology Enterprise mission. The ECT program explores revolutionary aerospace systems, and performs fundamental research and development of high-payoff technologies. ECT Program objectives are to identify, develop, and transfer breakthrough technologies that have broad potential across many types of systems to provide increased scientific return at lower cost, and to enable missions and capabilities beyond current horizons. The ECT program is on the front end of the enabling technology pipeline that supplies the focused technology development programs of the NASA Enterprises. This NRA solicits technologies in three major areas: 1) Advanced Measurement and Detection Technology; 2) Large Aperture Technology; and 3) Low Power Microelectronics Technology. (These technology areas can be viewed in greater detail via the NRA cite noted above.) The ECT program primarily focuses on early stage technologies at Technology Readiness Levels of between 1 and 3, unless otherwise noted in the NRA. The technology requirements guide development of component and subsystem technologies, with emphasis on efficiency, miniaturization, integration, and resiliency. The goal is to capture innovative ideas from the external community, to leverage emerging technologies, and to complement NASA capabilities in critical areas. Successful proposals must outline a well-structured program (for up to three years) for development culminating in a proof-of-concept demonstration at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-4 by the end of the effort for both the Advanced Measurement and Detection Technology and Large Aperture Technology. (NOTE: The Low Power Microelectronics Technology synopsis requires that proposed activities have an entry TRL of 3 or 4 and that the activity demonstrate a minimum TRL 5 at the end of the proposed activity.) NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking partners from other government agencies, industry, academia, and Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) to participate with NASA LaRC Principal Investigators (PI) in the ECT Program to develop a proposal in response to the above NRA and execute development and performance demonstrations of components and subsystems. Subject to the availability of funds, it is anticipated that selected proposal(s) would result in component and/or subsystem contract(s) for the selected partner(s). This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at no cost to NASA) conceptual designs, technical data, proposal input, project schedules and cost estimates consistent with the requirements of the NRA. Potential partners must demonstrate the capabilities and experience to provide components and subsystems consistent with the efforts synopsized for each intended LaRC proposal. Partners must work collaboratively with NASA and other potential government, industry and academic partners to perform the required tasks. Partner selection(s) will be made by LaRC based on the following criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability and availability of key personnel This criterion evaluates the proposers' relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform the development, and key personnel available to support the development. Substantive evidence (points of contact and telephone numbers) of successful participation in similar developments should be included. (2) Cost and schedule control This criterion evaluates the proposers' ability to control both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in this area. (3) Facilities This criterion evaluates the proposers' facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss facility availability, access, and the ability to meet the proposed objectives. Responses should be limited to 5 pages (12 point font) and address each of the criteria. A single proposal may be submitted to more than one instrument team. All responses should be sent to: NASA Langley Research Center, Attn: William (Chris) Edwards, Mail Stop 469, Building 1208A, Room 106, Hampton, VA 23681. The preferred method of submission is via email to:
contact@example.gov. The due date for submission is COB July 17, 2003. Technical questions should be directed to Dr. Marty G. Mlynczak,
+1 (555) 000-0000,
contact@example.gov Procurement questions should be directed to Mary Jane Yeager, NASA LaRC Procurement Office,
+1 (555) 000-0000, m.j.yeager@.nasa.gov or to Tom Weih, NASA LaRC Procurement Office,
+1 (555) 000-0000,
contact@example.gov The following LaRC technology proposal is seeking partnerships. Uncooled Infrared Detector Technologies: NASA Langley Research Center is actively planning and developing a variety of sensors to measure the Earth's radiation budget and climate, and the temperature, moisture, and chemical composition of the atmosphere from space based satellites. The Center also envisions developing instrumentation to image planets and moons and to conduct measurements of atmospheric composition and planetary climate within our solar system. These measurements will be made by a variety of instruments including but not limited to Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) instruments and advanced radiometers. Measurements of infrared emission from the planets and their atmospheres will be made as well as measurements by the techniques of solar and stellar occultation. To achieve these goals NASA would like to develop advanced infrared detectors that operate at wavelengths longer than 15 micrometers, out to beyond 100 micrometers. These detectors would operate at temperatures achievable with conventional passive cooling in space and with cryogenic engines capable of cooling focal planes to temperatures between 10 Kelvin and 80 Kelvin. The Center is therefore seeking partners with which to develop infrared detector technology to meet a variety of needs. Particular requirements include: - Spectral sensitivity: Wavelengths from 4 to 100 micrometers (mid-to-far-infrared) - Optical modulation frequency: 100 to 2000 Hz, with emphasis on higher frequencies as required for imaging FTS instruments - Noise Equivalent Delta Temperature: < 200 milli-Kelvin for a 0.5 cm-1 spectral interval - Specific Detectivity (D*): > 1010 cm Hz1/2 W-1 The technologies solicited include (but are not necessarily limited to) individual detector elements and detector arrays (10 x 10 to larger than 500 x 500). Partners selected under this synopsis would participate in the development of a proposal to the anticipated NASA Mission Science and Measurement Technology - 2004 Research Announcement.
