Laser Prestabilization System (LPS) for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) System

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for Laser Prestabilization System (LPS) for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) System. The LPS for LISA requirement includes an optical reference cavity (ORC) and LPS electronics (LPS-E), from technology readiness level (TRL) of four (4) to six (6) to support the NASA contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA) led LISA. The developed LPS units will be used for ground testing and technology demonstration. The NASA LISA Study Office (NLSO) at GSFC is currently performing work for the ESA-led LISA mission, which is planning to launch in 2034. NASA is in the study phase of the mission and will be contributing hardware as part of an agreement with ESA. The project requires a LPS for frequency stabilizing the LISA laser optical module (LOM). The LOM uses a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) architecture to facilitate several activities, including laser stabilization, phase modulation for clock noise calibration between satellites, and absolute ranging. The frequency stabilization is established using the Pound-Drever Hall scheme where a small amount of light from the master oscillator (MO) injects into the LPS ORC. NASA requires the purchase of two (2) units of TRL4, two (2) units of TRL5 and three (3) units of TRL6 LPS-E, and two (2) units of TRL6 ORC. For the electronics, the TRL4 LPS-E have demonstrated performance that meets the system requirements. While the higher TRL electronics will be a modified design, they are based on a similar approach using flight qualified components (or parts with flight quality equivalents) to deliver a TRL6 version of the PDH locking electronics. The scope of the work also includes testing of the components and assemblies for the LISA LPS to ensure that all subsystems are at TRL6 or higher at the end of the development effort. For the ORC, the complete subsystem is at TRL9. As such, the testing of cavities built for this effort is limited to coupling efficiency measurements to verify proper optical alignment. The electronics, which start the development at TRL 4, undergo more thorough testing to qualify their space worthiness. The environmental testing will be done using Contractor facilities and will include vibration, thermal vacuum (TVAC), and radiation analysis based on the environmental requirements in the ESA TRL6 demonstrator requirement document. NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the items from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, - Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to the Contract Specialist, Jeffrey Lopez at jeffrey.m.lopez@nasa.gov not later than 3:00 P.M. (eastern standard time) on October 19, 2021. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html