PARTNERING FOR EARTH VENTURE, SS_EV_FY19

This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in proposal development activities that addresses the technical objectives and development of a complete small satellite mission in response to anticipated Earth Venture Announcements of Opportunity expected to be released in FY 2019. Earth Venture is a Program element within the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program (ESSP) consisting of a series (e.g., Mission, Instrument, and Continuity AOs) of science-driven, competitively selected, low cost missions that will provide opportunity for investment in pioneering Earth science to enhance our capability to better understand the current state of the Earth system. Earth Venture is a Program element within the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program (ESSP) consisting of a series of innovative, integrated, science-driven approaches to pressing Earth system science issues. The goal of NASA's Earth Venture mission portfolio is to provide frequent flight opportunities for high quality, high value, focused Earth science investigations that can be accomplished under a not-to-exceed cost cap and that can be developed and flown relatively quickly, generally in 4-5 years or less. For additional information on the Venture Class program visit ESSP website: http://science.nasa.gov/about-us/smd-programs/earth-system-science-pathfinder/ Earth Venture proposed investigations will be evaluated and selected through a single step competitive process. This single step is the solicitation, submission, evaluation, and selection of proposals prepared in response to an AO. NASA Headquarters intend to select at least one mission or instrument to proceed to development for flight and operations as the outcome of this process. Expected AO releases: FY 2019 - Proposals due date: ~3 months after AO release - Selection of the Investigation (target): ~6 months after submittal - Launch: within ~4-5 years of selection Participation in this partnering synopsis is open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit institutions, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as NASA Centers and other U.S. Government Agencies. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Other Minority Universities (OMUs), small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs), veteran-owned small businesses, service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBzone small businesses, and women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are encouraged to apply. Participation by non-U.S. organizations is welcome but subject to NASA's policy of no exchange of funds, in which each government supports its own national participants and associated costs. Partners are sought for hosting a variety of potential Earth remote sensing, light weight, low power instruments on a commercial small satellite bus to a LEO orbit to operate for a minimum of 2 years. NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners having demonstrated experience supporting one or more of the following mission elements: * Small satellite design and manufacture * System Engineering support to resolve any payload accommodation issues * Payload integration and test (I&T) on the small satellite (Note: Adequate contamination mitigation precautions must be taken during I&T to assure the on-orbit performance of optical instruments.) * Small satellite mission operations support throughout the mission lifetime * Communications - telemetry and data interfaces * Ground data capture and distribution services options *Integration to Launch Vehicle (TBD) Potential partners shall provide a brief summary of their experience in the required mission elements identified above. In addition, to inform partnering decisions, responses to this synopsis should include the following information: *Points of contact name(s) with business phone number(s) and business email address(es), *Title of each small spacecraft bus offering: *Small spacecraft bus capabilities/services: - Design lifetime: - Redundancy (if applicable): - Attitude error: knowledge, control, rate stability - Supported low-Earth orbits: - Data interface: Onboard data storage options? High-speed data downlink? Command and control uplink? - Spacecraft maneuvers: For example, the ability to point at solar/lunar targets? - Mission class (e.g., C or D) - Available payload mass (up to value): The mass of targeted payloads is <100 kg - without contingency - Available orbit average power for payloads: - Available peak power: - Available payload volume (up to value): - Field of view: Is unobstructed Earth viewing possible? - Any other relevant information If selected through this synopsis, it is expected that the selected partner(s) will work with NASA LaRC scientists and engineers to jointly develop the proposal. If the proposal is selected, NASA LaRC anticipates issuing contracts or other agreements to the selected partner(s) for performance of the proposed elements. This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts or other agreements, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. Partner selections will be made by LaRC based on the listed criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Relevant Experience and Past Performance. The proposer shall include relevant recent experience and past performance in similar development activities. (2) Technical Capability. The proposer shall describe their technical capabilities required for the performance of the development activity described herein. (3) Flexibility of proposed spacecraft bus to accommodate multiple payload architectures. (4) Payload Accommodation and Mission Support. The proposer shall demonstrate an understanding of accommodating optical payloads and address the mission element requirements as specified herein. Safety and Mission assurance procedures and processes should be identified. The typical schedule for the spacecraft development,P launch, and on-orbit checkout should be discussed. Describe the process and facilities for on-orbit operations and data distribution (if applicable). (5) Cost and Schedule Control. The proposer shall provide a range of costs for accommodating the notional sample payload (see range of parameters in the table below) through pre-launch, launch and flight operation mission phases. The cost management strategy for the spacecraft development, launch and on-orbit checkout should be discussed. Provide the cost drivers and assumptions, as applicable. SEE ATTACMENT 1: Paremeter and Value Chart Responses to this partnering synopsis shall be limited to 10 pages in not less than 12-point font. Responses must address the aforementioned evaluation criteria. All responses shall be submitted to LaRC electronically via email by 3:00pm EST on November 19, 2018, to Danielle May, danielle.n.may@nasa.gov. Technical and Programmatic questions regarding this draft partnering synopsis should be directed to Becky Bales, rebecca.w.bales@nasa.gov and procurement questions should be directed to Danielle May, danielle.n.may@nasa.gov.