NASA Research Announcement: Advanced On-Orbit Furnace Facility Capabilities

MODIFICATION 2 This is a modification to the synopsis 80JSC023FURNACE, which was posted on October 25, 2022. You are notified that the following changes are made: Focus Area 5 has been amended. Questions and answers and additional information on the MSG and EXPRESS Rack have been attached to the NRA. All changes are available in NSPIRES. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ MODIFICATION 1 This is a modification to the synopsis 80JSC023FURNACE, which was posted on October 25, 2022. You are notified that the following changes are made: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is announcing an opportunity under this focus area 5 of the International Space Station (ISS) NASA Research Announcment (NRA) to advance the state-of-the-art (SOTA) of furnace technology for the primary purpose of supporting research onboard the ISS with a stretch goal of supporting technology demonstrations at pilot-scale. In addition, NASA seeks the design capability for the furnace facility to be compatible for utilization on future Commercial low-Earth orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLDs). It is the stated intent of NASA that any resulting hardware would be commercially owned and serviced by the hardware developer and/or its partners. This opportunity is made available through the ISS NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNJ13BG001N, Special Focus Area 5 - Advanced On-Orbit Furnace Capability." NASA requests the submission of proposals through NSPIRES on September 13. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 1. Summary The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking information under this Request for Information (RFI) to assess interest and requirements for the development of a new furnace facility to be utilized on the International Space Station (ISS), with the capability to be compatible for future Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLDs); the intent is the hardware would be commercially owned and serviced by the hardware developer. The ISS provides a platform to conduct research in a sustained microgravity environment in a variety of scientific disciplines, many of which rely on access to experimental facilities capable of supporting a specific area of study. Although several furnace facilities already exist onboard the ISS, gaps have been identified in the technical capabilities of these furnace facilities which may be effectively limiting the scope of science that can be performed in these areas onboard the ISS. This RFI is seeking information about user interest in and requirements for a future furnace facility to be designed for use first onboard the ISS and with the ability to transfer and operate in a CLD at a future time. This RFI is also seeking information from potential hardware developers on any planned furnace facilities that may meet the needs of the science community, as well as how to approach the development of a new furnace facility that will be capable of operating both in the ISS as well as generically onboard future CLDs. Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) are sought broadly from U.S. industry, universities, non-profit organizations, private entities, NASA centers, other U.S. Government Agencies, and International Space Agencies, and will be used by NASA to further inform planning and acquisition strategy development. 2. General Information This RFI is used solely for soliciting information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by NASA to form a binding contract. NASA is under no obligation to issue a solicitation or to award any contract on the basis of this RFI. However, NASA may utilize the information resulting from this RFI in developing its acquisition strategy. Respondents are encouraged to provide information that is not constrained by limited/restricted data rights. However, if proprietary data is included in a reply, Respondents should clearly and properly mark any propriety or restricted data contained within its submission so it can be identified and protected. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. NASA intends to evaluate all data received and Responders may be contacted for further discussion on an as needed basis. Please note, NASA as well as support contractors and/or their sub-contractors working on behalf of the Government may be reviewing the information. Responses to this RFI will not be returned, and Respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to offer any compensation for the information solicited. The information provided is voluntary and will not affect the ability to bid on future requirements. This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be considered as an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. No solicitation exists; therefore, respondents should not request a copy of a solicitation. If a solicitation is released in the future, it will be synopsized in beta.SAM.gov and on appropriate NASA online locations. It is the respondent's responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. 3. Technical Information NASA is seeking information that could potentially inform the development of a new furnace facility to be used onboard the ISS and future CLDs. Onboard the ISS, it is anticipated that the furnace facility would be able to be operated inside the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) or an EXPRESS (EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station) subrack. It is also anticipated that the furnace facility would be designed to be generically compatible with operation inside of a glovebox or other operating location on a future CLD. For context, general information about the MSG is available at the following link: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=341, and general information about EXPRESS Racks is available at the following link: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=598. Technical information for gloveboxes and other operating locations in future CLDs is not yet available, but it is expected that any new furnace facility would be designed for compatibility with industry standard interfaces. As a reference, an informal survey of sponsoring organization who have used furnace facilities onboard the ISS in the past has indicated that the following representative capabilities would likely be of interest to the research community in a new furnace facility: Temperature: at least 1250 C Sample outer diameter: at least 16mm Sample length: at least 30cm Independently-controlled heated zones: at least 3 Sample translation capabilities: required Max heating/cooling rate: at least 5C/min These representative capabilities should be considered as a general reference for potential hardware developers providing information in section 4.2 below. Potential researchers and sponsoring organizations responding to section 4.1 below are encouraged to disregard these representative capabilities in favor of providing the true requirements needed to successfully achieve expected science objectives. Additionally, it will be critical to ensure that the requirements and furnace design allow for cost and schedule of ampoule development, fabrication, and testing for science investigations to be minimized. 4. Information Requested The responses to this RFI should include the information listed below. Note that it is not necessary to respond to every question in detail, particularly if it is not applicable. All organizations, including academia, NASA centers, other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, potential hardware developers, and individuals are invited to respond. 4.1 For potential researchers and sponsoring organizations: 4.1.1 What capabilities do you consider to be important to support future science in a new furnace facility? Capabilities to consider include, but are not limited to, the following: Maximum stable temperature Minimum stable temperature Temperature control stability requirements Independently controlled heated zones Sample translation capability Minimum length of isothermal zone Maximum sample outer diameter Maximum sample length Maximum heating rate Maximum cooling rate Transparent zone for visual observation Other 4.1.2 For any capabilities that you consider to be necessary or beneficial for future microgravity research needs, please provide the specific values, parameters, or requirements that must be met, as well as a brief description or comment discussing whether each capability is absolutely required or is a nice-to-have and why those capabilities are required to achieve expected science objectives. 4.2 For potential hardware developers: 4.2.1 Please provide information about any furnace capabilities either already available or in development that might address the capabilities outlined in section 3 in addition to other furnace capabilities that you believe to be beneficial for future microgravity research. 4.2.2 Please discuss any ideas you have regarding how to efficiently and effectively design a furnace that can be utilized in multiple different locations on different space stations throughout its lifetime. 4.2.3 Please discuss any ideas you have regarding methods that should be considered for minimizing cost and schedule for ampoule development, fabrication, and testing to support science investigations. 5. Instructions for Submission Responses are limited to 5 pages in length. All responses shall be submitted electronically via email to Heidi Parris (heidi.m.parris@nasa.gov) and Audrey Montgomery (audrey.c.montgomery@nasa.gov) no later than 4:00pm Central Time on Friday, January 27, 2023. Please reference 80JSC023FURNACE in any response.