Space Threat Assessment Testbed (STAT) Request for Information (RFI) This is a request for information and not a solicitation. INTRODUCTION: An RFI and associated Industry Day was held in April 2006 to obtain information concerning a Space Threat Assessment Testbed (STAT). Continued technical analysis has been used to generate a DRAFT Test Capability Requirements Document (TCRD). A review of this document for comment by industry is scheduled for 31 January 2007 in Colorado Springs, CO and interested parties are invited to attend. The STAT will be a testbed facility that will be used to test space system survivability against natural, environmental, and man-made effects. STAT will provide connectivity to a satellite control center (SOC) for systems under test in order to train space operators to recognize threats and aid in the development of tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to mitigate the effects of those threats. STAT is envisioned to include space chambers with realistic natural space environmental conditions, as well as integrated representative threat sources. STAT Spiral 1 will develop the technology to integrate and control the various environmental sources and build a capability to test sub-system size components and microsats. PLEASE INDICATE YOUR INTEREST TO ATTEND TO THE POINT OF CONTACT BELOW BY 24 January 2007 CONTACT INFORMATION: PCO: AEDC/PK Attn: Sue Tate AEDC/PK 100 Kindel Drive, Suite ARNOLD AFB TN 37389
[email protected] Note: The information received will not obligate the Government in any manner nor will the Government reimburse contractors for any costs associated with this submittal of the request for information. This RFI does not constitute an Invitation for Bid or a Request for Proposal, nor should it be considered as a commitment on the part of the Government. 1. SCOPE. This request for information is directed to potential prime contractors who have demonstrated experience in the design, development, and integration of new satellite test capabilities. The Government will use the information gathered in response to this RFI to refine potential acquisition strategies for the STAT. Further, this information will help the Government structure a program that will mitigate cost, schedule and performance risks. 2. OBJECTIVES. The main objectives in this project are as follows: 1. Design the STAT Spiral 1 facility. 2. Develop integrated environmental source and infrastructure control systems. 3. Procure all necessary hardware that is not provided GFE. 4. Integrate the environmental sources, chamber subsystems, controls and Satellite Operation Center Links into a functional test capability. 3. REQUIREMENTS. The Space Threat Assessment Testbed shall have real time capability for emulating the natural and man-made space environment at various orbital conditions. It shall also incorporate three operationally realistic man-made threat sources, and the ability to connect the System Under Test (SUT) to a satellite operations center (SOC). The following are operational and system specifications or limitations applicable to the design and development of this System: 3.1 Operational: The Space Threat Assessment Testbed shall emulate a complex natural and man-made space environment, to include realistic flux levels and/or fluences of the atomic oxygen, low energy protons, electrons, UV, contamination, and spacecraft charging. It will also include three operationally relevant threat sources, and the ability to connect the payload to the Satellite Operations Center. 3.1.1 The system shall emulate the appropriate conditions for orbits ranging from Low Earth Orbit to Geosynchronous and Sun-Synchronous orbits. 3.1.2 The System shall have the capability to operate the threat sources and the environmental source in a controlled manner to simulate realistic combined environmental conditions experienced by operational systems. 3.1.3 The system shall allow the connection of the System Under Test (SUT) to be connected to a remote Satellite Operations Center at the Center for Research Support (CERES) at Falcon AFB, Colorado, and shall monitor the data streams being fed over the control networks to ensure they meet all applicable standards and regulations. 3.1.4 The system shall allow real-time control of all sources to allow scripting of environmental and/or induced anomaly situations to be simulated. 3.2 Chamber Infrastructure: An 8ft by 24ft vacuum chamber located at Arnold Engineering Development Center will be made available as GFE for this effort. Integration of vacuum pumping and cryogenic systems, as well as an integrated control system shall be accomplished by the contractor. Electrical Power (up to 440V 3-phase), water, compressed air and dry Nitrogen are all available through the existing building infrastructure. 3.3 Natural Environment Sources: 3.3.1 The system shall include atomic oxygen generation capabilities capable of simulating energy levels and fluxes representative of the levels experienced in Low Earth Orbits. 3.3.2 The system shall include low energy proton acceleration capabilities capable of simulating fluences seen at solar max. 3.3.3 The system shall include UV lamps capable of simulating the solar spectra at 2 times solar intensity. 3.3.4 The system shall include electron acceleration capabilities capable of simulating trapped electrons. 3.4 Spacecraft Self-induced Condition Simulation: 3.4.1 The system shall include the capability to introduce controlled levels of contamination to simulate the outgassing and redeposition of other satellite materials on the System Under Test. 3.4.2 The system shall include ion acceleration sources capable of simulating electric propulsion back-flux of low-energy Xenon ions. 3.4.3 The system shall include the capability to introduce an electric potential on the surface of the System Under Test to simulate the effects of spacecraft self-charging. 3.5 Threat Sources: The system shall include three operationally relevant threat sources capable of simulating the effects of those threats on the satellite. 3.6 Connectivity to Satellite Operations Center: The System shall allow the payload to be connected to the Satellite Operations Center in the Center for Research Support (CERES) at Schriever AFB, CO. This will allow integrated operational test and evaluation, crew training, anomaly resolution utilizing actual hardware, the development of tactics, techniques and procedures, and assessment of system level vulnerabilities to natural and induced environments. Due to the possibility of early utilization of the CCOSE chamber (see below) in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures development, connectivity must be achieved within the first 3 months of the program. 3.7 Existing Prototype: The existing CCOSE chamber, located at AEDC was developed under the Test Technology Development and Demonstration program, and represents a subscale prototype and risk reduction effort. This facility, and the technologies incorporated into it will be made available to the contractor to use in the development of the STAT facility. 4. GENERAL CAPABILITY QUESTIONS a) Describe your company?s past experience on projects similar in complexity to this requirement. Include contract numbers, a brief description of the work performed, period of performance, agency/organization supported, and individual point of contact (Contracting Officer or Program Manager). b) Describe your company?s capabilities and experience in performing systems engineering, including the delivery of engineering drawings and manuals. Provide examples of turn-key infrastructure that your company has delivered to industry or government. c) Are there requirements that would currently preclude your company from being able to develop a viable solution to our requirement? 5. COST: 1. Ultimately, the feasibility of designing, developing, procuring, and integrating the STAT will be best value evaluation. a) For your STAT approach, what capabilities and/or components are expected to be the major contributors to the technical risk? to cost? b) What are the proposed techniques/methods for controlling cost and schedule? c) Cost case study. o Cost for Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) o Cost for Data (to include engineering drawings, technical data and operation/maintainability data) o Cost for procurement/integration 6. MILESTONE METRICS: 1. Non-Recurring Engineering 2. Preliminary Design Review 3. Critical Design Review 4. Final Operational Capability/Handover 5. Data 6. What other types of performance/measurements or objectives do you feel are appropriate for this type of effort? 7. MISCELLANEOUS: Please provide any additional feedback you feel is relevant in the developing of these requirements. PLEASE PROVIDE 1 PAPER COPY AND 1 ELECTRONIC COPY OF REQUESTED INFORMATION TO THE POINT OF CONTACT BELOW NOT LATER THAN 31 MARCH 2006. AN INDUSTRY DAY WILL BE HELD FOR ALL INTERESTED RESPONDANTS ON 21 APRIL, 2006 AT ARNOLD AFB, TN. IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND, INCLUDE THE NAMES OF THOSE REPRESENTING YOUR COMPANY. PCO: AEDC/PK Attn: Sue Tate AEDC/PK 100 Kindel Drive, Suite ARNOLD AFB TN 37389
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