This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in a proposal development activity that addresses the technical objectives, design, development, and testing of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) flow inlet capable of thermalizing high kinetic temperature molecular flux prior to sense crystal deposition in response to the Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Exploration (MatISSE) Program solicitation, released in February 2024 as part of the NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES)-2024 – NNH24ZDA001N-MATISSE Announcement of Opportunity (AO). The MatISSE Program supports the advanced development of spacecraft-based instruments that show promise for use in future planetary missions. The objective of MatISSE is to advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of these concepts to TRL 6. For additional information on the MatISSE Instrument Development Program visit https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/research/astrobiology-at-nasa/picasso-and-matisse/. The MatISSE proposed investigations will be evaluated and selected through a two-step proposal submission process described in Section 2 of C.1 The Planetary Science Division Research Program Overview. The Step-2 proposal will be prepared in cooperation with participating partners in compliance with the ROSES-2024 NNH24ZDA001N-MATISSEAO. NASA's Science Mission Directorate's (SMD) Planetary Science Division (PSD) intends to select approximately 6 proposed instrument maturation projects with the value of each award at approximately $1M per year and total proposed period of performance (POP) not exceeding 48 months. 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 (JPL), 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. This partnership opportunity focuses on providing QCM inlet flow modeling in the high kinetic temperature free molecular flow regime, inlet designs and fabricated components, and vacuum chamber tests using high temperature gases necessary to implement and demonstrate a thermalizing effect that permits mass deposition on the QCM sense crystal. A successful inlet configuration will enable the direct calculation of external molecular flux in a given kinetic temperature regime following a QCM measurement behind the thermalizing inlet. The goal of this effort is to offer a novel, reliable, low-mass, cost effective method for retrieving molecular abundances in the free molecular flow regime during a high-speed planetary fly-by that is non-destructive to the target molecules. A configuration that preserves QCM thermogravimetric analysis capabilities is also desired. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking partners who can provide commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) QCM sensors. NASA LaRC is also seeking partners who have expertise in introducing high temperature rarefied gases into vacuum test chambers. (a) NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners specializing in designing and building space flight rated QCMs including Cryogenic QCMs (CQCMs) and Thermoelectric QCMs (TQCMs). Such a partner shall offer the following: Manufacture and delivery of COTS QCMs, CQCMs, and/or TQCMs as procured by NASA LaRC and as needed under this MatISSE project during Project Years 1 and 2 with delivery of procured sensors by the start of Project Year 3. Any delivered sensors shall include an End Item Data Package (EIDP) with relevant drawings, specifications, calibrations, and vendor test reporting. Vendor testing shall be sufficient to calibrate and characterize the sensors (crystal matching curves, etc.) and demonstrate reliability. Consultation from selected partner's subject matter experts (SMEs) for NASA LaRC scientists, project managers, and engineers during the MatISSE proposal drafting process and following a MatISSE award to aid in understanding sensor behavior for the proposed use case and in the development of the experimental design and setup that will be conducted during Project Year 3. Consultations shall be provided, for example, through virtual meetings or e-mails at a frequency that will not overly burden the selected partner, such as, at most weekly or semiweekly consultations during periods of greatest need, as agreed upon by the selected partner. Support for visits to the selected partner's facilities by several NASA LaRC personnel on approximately a yearly basis to conduct parts inspections and technical interchange on the manufacture, use, and testing of the partner's COTS offerings. Review and co-authorship of any papers published as a result of the Project Year 3 experimental testing. (b) NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners with expertise in experimental vacuum chamber techniques employing rarefied, high kinetic temperature molecular gases for testing materials or detection techniques. For example, a partner shall provide expertise and hardware for procurement by NASA LaRC involved in Stark deceleration/acceleration of polar gases or other hardware and techniques that offer the following: Directed, non-destructive acceleration of rarefied molecular test gases such as water vapor possibly up to as high as ~30km/s velocity and introduction of the accelerated molecules into a vacuum chamber towards a test apparatus. The molecular beam shall have a narrow velocity distribution in space. Ability to quantify the mass flux (e.g., ng/cm^2•s), velocity distribution, and uncertainties from the acceleration apparatus. Ability to operate the apparatus and accelerate molecules into the vacuum chamber over a typical test of up to an hour or more. Expertise in molecular deceleration techniques using electrical fields. Interested parties can apply to one of the tasks above or to both. Please ensure your proposal identifies which section you are responding to. 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. It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at no cost to NASA) conceptual designs of proposed technology and components (with sufficient details), operational concepts, planning, technical risk analysis, and would participate in cost and schedule analysis as part of the MatISSE proposal. Partner(s) selections will be made by NASA LaRC based on the listed criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Expertise. Experience relevant to experimental techniques using quartz crystal microbalances, high kinetic temperatures gases in vacuum chamber experiments, and modeling of the behavior and surface interactions of high kinetic temperature gases in the free molecular flow regime. (2) Technology solutions and technical approach. This criterion evaluates the proposed technology solution and implementation techniques based on the specifications noted above. (3) Amenable to collaborative solutions. This criterion evaluates how the proposer intends to collaborate with NASA LaRC personnel to iterate on design ideas to arrive at appropriate technological solutions and test environments. (4) Facilities. This criterion evaluates the proposer’s facilities (for development, fabrication, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development, manufacture, or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss availability of facilities. (5) Costs. The proposer shall provide cost estimates for the technology solution being offered. NASA will not reimburse organizations for the cost of submitting information in response to this partnering opportunity. NASA will not pay for technical assessment or proposal preparation costs incurred by the respondent. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: Responses to this partnering synopsis shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) pages (exclusive of resumes) in not less than 12-point font and 1-inch margins. The 5-page limit is the total pages allowed for the technical areas described above, however your facilities summary and cost tables can be outside of the 5-page limit. Facilities and Cost tables shall not exceed three (3) pages. Additional guidance: For proposal purposes, assume the following cost cap: $200k per item (a or b) or $400K total if responding to both. Also, for proposal purposes, assume this will be a fixed price opportunity. Responses must address each of the aforementioned evaluation criteria. All responses shall be submitted to NASA LaRC via e-mail by 12:00 PM EDT on June 3, 2024 to:
[email protected]. Procurement questions should be directed to:
[email protected].