CBD: NASA Request for Information (RFI) Human/Robotic Exploration of the Solar System
[Commerce Business Daily: Posted in CBDNet on July 25, 2001]
[Printed Issue Date: July 27, 2001]
From the Commerce Business Daily Online via GPO Access
[cbdnet.access.gpo.gov]
PART: U.S. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTS
SUBPART: SERVICES
CLASSCOD: B–Special Studies and Analyses – Not R&D–Potential
Sources Sought
OFFADD: NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, 555-A 14th Street
NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
SUBJECT: B–REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ON HUMAN/ROBOTIC EXPLORATION
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
DUE 092401
POC Dr. Robert A. Cassanova, NIAC Director, (404) 347-9633, Fax:
(404) 347-9638, E-Mail: bcass@niac.usra.edu.
DESC: Request for Information (RFI) Human/Robotic Exploration
of the Solar System, due September 24, 2001. The Universities
Space Research Association (USRA) is requesting information
related to advanced concepts and technologies for the “Human/Robotic
Exploration of the Solar System.” Information received through
this RFI will be utilized in exploration technology planning
studies funded by the NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems
Concepts (RASC) activity led by the NASA Langley Research Center.
Background – With the exception of the Apollo Program, exploration
beyond Earth’s orbit has been achieved primarily with robotic
spacecraft. The systems deployed at the destination are the
instruments through which humans, across time and distance,
extract scientific information. This information, along with
direct and indirect investigation, has begun to provide the
knowledge necessary to understand the environment including
past and present processes active in our solar system. Scientific
investigations are significantly enhanced by an aggressive,
on-site partnership between humans and robots.
At this time,
NASA recognizes the need to examine revolutionary concepts
and technologies to further enhance the symbiotic relationship
between humans and their robotic partners. Through investigation
of revolutionary approaches, NASA will enhance the development
of capabilities for systematic, affordable and safe expansion
of humans beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO). These revolutionary
capabilities will support NASA’s long-range goal of enabling
humans to “go anywhere at anytime” to extraterrestrial destinations.
Such an investment in revolutionary concepts and technologies
requires an understanding of the ways humans and machines can
synergistically be combined to enhance or accelerate the science
return from NASA programs and assets. This understanding will
be achieved through the collaborative efforts of industry,
government and academia to determine the optimal working relationship
between autonomous and crewed systems and to understand how
this relationship changes over time.
The scope of this RFI
includes both planetary science and “in-space” platform science
applications beyond LEO for the timeframe of 10 to 40 years
into the future. Specific information on human/robotic exploration
is sought regarding: (1) advanced revolutionary systems concepts,
(2) identification of required technologies to enable these
capabilities, (3) an evaluation of the evolution of the relative
roles of humans and machines to implement these concepts, and
(4) an identification of the science that would be enabled
by these capabilities.
Reference information regarding NASA’s
long-term Science Goals and related studies on human-enabled
science may be found at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/reports/CB-1089/CB-1089.intro.html
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/publications/reports/CB-968/CB-968.intro.html
http://www.nasa.gov. Information Request – USRA, through
two of its institutes (NIAC and ICASE),is requesting information
to support NASA technology planning activities for the “Human/Robotic
Exploration of the Solar System.”
The primary emphasis of this
RFI is to identify new, innovative and potentially revolutionary
systems concepts and technologies that could significantly
impact the synergistic operation of humans and robots in the
space environment beyond LEO and identify the enhanced science
that would be enabled by these capabilities. The output of
this study may lead to opportunities for potential NASA/university/industry
collaboration under the ongoing NASA RASC activity. Information
submitted in response to this request will be compiled and
briefed in synopsis form at an upcoming workshop hosted by
ICASE at the NASA Langley Research Center, November 6-7, 2001.
These briefings will be structured to stimulate vigorous discussion
and feedback from the attendees. Information about the workshop
for Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts for Human/Robotic
Exploration of the Solar System can be found at: http://www.icase.edu/workshops/hress01.html.
Submission of Information – Responses to this RFI must be
submitted electronically in Portable Document Format (PDF)
and delivered via email to the following address: human.robotics@niac.usra.edu.
Information regarding PDF files is located at http://www.adobe.com.
No other electronic file format will be accepted. Paper submissions
will not be accepted. The file size limit is 500KB including
up to ten (10) pages of text plus references and graphics.
One of the ten pages of text should be a one page, bulletized
synopsis suitable for presentation. Authors are encouraged
to use appropriate graphics to enhance and clarify the information
being submitted. The due date for responses to this RFI is
September 24, 2001.
Points of Contact – Implementation questions
should be addressed to: human.robotics@niac.usra.edu or to
one of the following points of contact: Dr. Robert A. Cassanova,
Director, NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Telephone:
(404) 347-9633, Email: bcass@niac.usra.edu; Dr. Josip Loncaric,
Research Fellow, ICASE, Telephone: (757) 864-2192, Email: josip@icase.edu;
Lewis Peach, Chief Engineer, USRA, Telephone: (410) 730-2656,
Email: peach@hq.usra.edu.
LINKURL: http://www.niac.usra.edu
LINKDESC: NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts
EMAILADD: bcass@niac.usra.edu
EMAILDESC: NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts
CITE: (W-206 SN50S9J6)
