Chemistry & Spectroscopy of Space, Plasma, & Reentry (CSSPR)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CHEMISTRY & SPECTROSCOPY OF SPACE, PLASMA, & REENTRY (CSSPR) REFERENCE NUMBER: RFI - AFRL-RVBX-FY16-08 1. The Air Force Research Laboratory is issuing this "Request for Information" to Industry and Academic sources as a means to gather current data on the existing market sector, identify potential market characteristics, best practices, emerging technologies, sources of supply, vendor capabilities, and to assist the government with leveraging opportunities so that an informed acquisition strategy can be accomplished. The Air Force Research Laboratory is interested in determining existing capabilities and future capacities to provide research and development in the areas of Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Space, Plasma, and Re-entry (CSSPR). The applicable North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) code assigned to these activities is 541712 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology) This U.S. Industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in conducting research and experimental development (except biotechnology research and experimental development) in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, such as agriculture, electronics, environmental, biology, botany, computers, chemistry, food, fisheries, forests, geology, health, mathematics, medicine, oceanography, pharmacy, physics, veterinary and other allied subjects. 2. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. This request is for capability information and does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this request for Information/market survey is purely voluntary; the government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. 3. This notice is for planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any contractual agreement. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. 4. AFRL may, in the future, seek potential offerors with the capability to provide basic and applied research aligned with the Lab's investments in the chemistry of space, ionospheric plasmas, and re-entry. The work effort may involve but is not limited too; - Laser spectroscopic measurements of gas phase or surface molecules, ions, and clusters related to space propulsion, space materials, and their interactions with the space environment. - Experimental and theoretical measurements of the kinetics of a variety of plasma chemistry reactions over wide ranges of pressures, temperature, and plasma density using fast-flow kinetic instruments. - Chemical, physical, and signature measurements of the interactions of space vehicles with the space environment, the signatures of chemical/space vehicle interactions and measurements of the physical properties of materials used in space vehicles relevant to the space and re-entry environment using mass spectrometric, ion/molecular beam, and spectroscopic techniques. - Building and validating models for plasma formation during hypersonic atmospheric reentry and the concomitant effect on operational systems and signatures 5. Interested parties shall have a demonstrable working knowledge of the Federal Government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, academia, and other community efforts in each of the aforementioned fields. 6. It is anticipated that any contemplated contractual effort will require access to and processing of classified information. In the event the Government decides a contractual effort is required all security clearances shall be required prior to any proposed award. 7. Information regarding an organization's capabilities and experience must be in writing (10 pages or less) using Times New Roman 12-point font, and should include information relevant and specific to the technical areas below. It should address each of the following qualifications: (1) Experience: An outline of previous or similar projects, specific capability/experience in performing the items listed below. (2) Personnel: Professional qualifications and specific experience of scientists and/or technical personnel who may be assigned as project director and other key positions. Resumes are included in the page count and should be submitted without names; if names are submitted the submission will be returned without consideration. (3) Any other specific and relevant information about this particular area of information that would improve the Government's knowledge of interested business capabilities. 8. Interested organizations must document in any capability statement, what experience, education or ability they provide that demonstrates the expertise needed to perform the tasks list below. Organizations should clearly demonstrate the capability to administer and coordinate interrelated tasks in an effective and timely manner. Documentation may include, but not be limited to, contracts both Government and commercial, identification of the organization for whom the work was performed (include government points of contact both technical and contractual), references, (i.e. names, titles, telephone numbers), and any other information serving to document the organization's capability, e.g., awards, commendations, etc. 9. In the event the Government decides a contractual effort is required any successful offeror will be required to propose and carry out ALL of the research in the following areas. Government Furnished Equipment will be provided for any resultant contract. A list of this equipment is provided as Attachment A to this Request for Information. a. Laser Spectroscopy and Reactivity i. Measure ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectroscopic signatures of neutral molecules such as ionic liquid ion pairs, their clusters with solvents, isolated satellite fuel components, and thruster plume species. ii. Measure ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectroscopic signatures of ions and charged clusters, including ionic liquids and satellite fuels, their complexes with solvents or metals, lanthanide oxides, and complexes found in solar cells and batteries. iii. Measure optical and particle signatures of thruster plume species excited at prominent solar wavelengths. iv. Identify and characterize intermediates, products, and pathways of chemical reactions related to propulsion systems and plumes. v. Characterize behavior of satellite propellants and space materials on space-relevant surfaces. vi. Perform ab initio and molecular dynamics calculations to simulate and interpret the results of the above measurements. b. Plasma Chemistry i. Determine ion-molecule kinetics as a function of temperature and pressure. ii. Determine electron attachment kinetics as a function of temperature and pressure. iii. Develop an understanding of electron recombination kinetics as a function of temperature and pressure. iv. Develop an understanding of ion-ion mutual neutralization kinetics as a function of temperature and plasma density. v. Develop an understanding of chemi-ionization kinetics as a function of temperature and pressure. vi. Perform ab initio molecular dynamics calculations to explain the molecular dynamics for above reactions. vii. Developing statistical models of rate data in order to extend the temperature and pressure ranges of the data. c. Space Chemistry i. Determine the cross sections for various collisional processes involving atomic oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon that occur in the energy range relevant to atmospheric reentry and orbital drag. ii. Determine plasma collision parameters and develop optical diagnostic models for ion thrusters and Hall effect thrusters. iii. Develop and verify physics based models for ionic liquid based electrospray thrusters. iv. Develop a physics based model for surface ionization effects including synthesizing novel surfaces and testing conversion efficiencies. v. Perform quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics calculations on ionic liquid molecular and ionic clusters, small molecular and atomic systems. vi. Perform experimental measurements and develop optical emission models of lanthanide-oxygen collisions at hyperthermal kinetic energies. d. Hypersonic Plasma Reentry Effects i. Develop and modify computational fluid dynamics grids based on known vehicle designs. ii. Perform computational fluid dynamics calculations on hypersonic flows. iii. Develop and modify chemical models for the surface of the reentry vehicle. iv. Develop and modify chemical rate models for non-equilibrium chemistry in the hypersonic flow. v. Develop and modify software interfaces between the computational fluid dynamics solver and signature analysis software. vi. Develop and modify software for analysis of electromagnetic interactions with plasma generated in a hypersonic flow. vii. Modify the extant computational fluid dynamics simulation to accommodate new flight conditions. viii. Extract data from historical flight reports. 10. Submission Instructions: Any proprietary information should be marked accordingly. Interested businesses and or academic sources that believe they possess the capability and capacities necessary to successfully undertake ALL of the technical tasks addressed above are invited to submit their capability statement via U.S. Mail, Federal Express or United Parcel Service by 3:00 pm MST on 26 February 2016. All submissions received after 3:00pm on 26 February 2016 will be returned. All work to be performed will be limited to U.S. Citizens only! Submit Statement of Capabilities to the primary point of contact. *Please note the changes in BOLD: capability statements must address ALL of the tehcnical areas*