03 June 2021-The purpose of this amendment is to update the RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS paragraph below: This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in a proposal development activity that addresses the technical objectives, development, and demonstration of Ground-to-Space Laser Calibration (GSLC) system for characterization of radiometric sensors in Earth orbits in response to the Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) solicitation, released in April 2021 – NNH21ZDA001N-IIP. Through the IIP projects, NASA's Earth Science Division develops new technologies, measurement concepts and techniques, prior to their inclusion in Earth science missions. The objective of IIP is to advance technology readiness level (TRL) of these concepts to TRL5/6. For additional information on the IIP program visit Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) website: https://esto.nasa.gov/iip/ The IIP proposed investigations will be evaluated and selected through a single step competitive process. This single step is the solicitation, evaluation, and selection of proposals prepared in response to an Announcement of Opportunity (AO). NASA ESTO intends to select 12 – 14 Instrument Development and Demonstration (IDD) projects with value of each award at approximately $1.5M per year and total proposed period of performance not exceeding 36 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, 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 designs, components and subsystem technologies necessary to implement and demonstrate, and validate the GSLC approach by transmitting specifically conditioned laser beams to spaceborne sensors in low-Earth and geostationary orbits (LEO and GEO, respectively). The goal of this effort is to establish a novel and cost-efficient method for calibration, characterization, and diagnostics of radiometric spaceborne sensors in the VSWIR spectral range (350 to 2500 nm) through use of a ground system. This effort has been started by the Science Innovation Fund (SIF) 2012 and NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) IRAD projects in 2017 – 2019. For additional information on the GSLC approach and methodology please refer to the United States patents US8767210B1 and US9052236B2, available online at: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8767210B1/en https://patents.google.com/patent/US9052236B2/en (a) NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners for designing and building of a mounting platform for GSLC’s telescope and transmitting optics with ability to point at and track satellites in LEO and GEO from a ground location, compliant with the following specifications: Ground-based system Transportable to remote field measurement locations Maximum payload capacity of 70 kg Pointing accuracy in 1 arcsec range Pointing stability in 1 arcsec/s range Calibration approach for pointing accuracy and stability Preferable configuration elevation over azimuth Range of motion 0o – 90o (from nadir to horizon) in elevation and 0o – 360o in azimuth Operational software for pointing at and tracking satellites in LEO and GEO Integrated tracking telescope, 8 inches in diameter or greater, with astronomy-grade optics and near-diffraction limited performance and imaging CCD camera for actively tracking a satellite when illuminated with sufficient light (b) NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners for designing and building the GSLC’s transmitting optics, compliant with the following specifications: Transportable to remote field measurement locations Beam polarization control with 500:1 contrast Beam polarization control with linear cross polarization switching rates from 0 – 100 Hz Adjustable bean divergence control 10 – 500 micro-radians Emitted optical CW power at approximately 1 W Wavelength adaptability from 290 nm to 2500 nm Uniform intensity profile (e.g. top hat) at orbit altitude On-orbit beam diameters from 50 to 500 meters In-field self-monitoring of all key beam characteristics (divergence, wavelength, polarization, transmitted power, and beam uniformity) Preferable interface: a fiber interface that can accept multi-mode and single-mode fiber and supply the laser light to the system (c) NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners for participation in testing and demonstrating the GSLC system in the lab, horizontal laser range at NASA LaRC, and a field location(s) for transmitting laser beam to spaceborne sensors. Interested parties can apply to one of the tasks above or can apply to all three of tasks above. 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 IIP 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 the GSLC approach – pointing at and tracking satellites in LEO and GEO, transmitting laser signal to spaceborne sensors, designing and building required hardware components, electronics, and software. (2) Technology solutions and technical approach. This criterion evaluates the proposed technology solution, implementation techniques based on the specifications noted above. (3) Facilities. This criterion evaluates the proposer’s facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss availability of facilities. (4) 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 five (5) pages (exclusive of resumes) in not less than 12-point font. The 5-page limit is the total pages allowed for technical areas described above, however, your facilities and cost tables can be outside of the 5 page limit. Facilities and Cost tables shall not exceed 3 pages. Additional guidance: For proposal purposes, assume the following cost cap: $200k per item (a, b, or c) or $600K total if responding to all 3 topics. 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 6:00 PM EDT on June 9, 2021 to:
[email protected]. Procurement questions should be directed to:
[email protected].