Status Report

Hosting of Humanoid Robots and Validation of Performance for The NASA Space Robotics Challenge Appendix

By SpaceRef Editor
June 4, 2015
Filed under , ,

Synopsis – Jun 03, 2015

 

General Information

 

    Solicitation Number: NNH15ZOA001N-15GCD-C2

    Posted Date: Jun 03, 2015

    FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jun 03, 2015

    Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No

    FedGrants Posted Date: Jun 03, 2015

    Classification Code: A — Research and Development

    NAICS Code: 541712

 

Grant Specific Information

 

    Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement

    CFDA Number: 43.012

    Cost Sharing or Matching Required: No

    Estimated Total Program Funding: not available

    Expected Number of Awards: not available

    Ceiling Amount: none

    Floor Amount: none

    Funding Activity: Science and Technology and other Research and Development (ST)

    Eligible Applicants: 25 – Others

     Eligibility for this Appendix will be limited to U.S. university participants in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) finals in June 2015.

    Link to Full Announcement: http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=04#160206

 

Contracting Office Address

 

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

 

Description

 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters, anticipates a release of a solicitation, titled “Hosting of Humanoid Robots and Validation of Task Performance for the NASA Space Robotics Challenge,” as an Appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion – 2015 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2015),” on or about June 10, 2015. Once the Appendix is posted, complete details (to include due dates) can be accessed via the following steps:

 

1. Open the NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ 2. Select “Solicitations” 3. Select “Open Solicitations” 4. Select “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion – 2015 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2015) NNH15ZOA001N” 5. Select “List of Open Program Elements” 6. Select “Game Changing Development (GCD) NNH15ZOA001N-15GCD-C2” 7. Select “Game Changing Development (GCD) NNH15ZOA001N-15GCD-C2 (Robot)” under Announcement Documents

 

Eligibility for this Appendix will be limited to U.S. university participants in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) finals in June 2015. Receipt of an award from this Appendix precludes the Recipient from competing in the Space Robotics Challenge (SRC).

 

In 2012, NASA began the design and development of a new bipedal humanoid robot, R5, through the DRC. NASA seeks to advance innovation in basic and applied research and technology development for humanoid robots, like R5, with a focus on the performance of tasks related to space exploration missions. NASA seeks to advance space technology by providing additional units of R5 to the robotics community for active research of high-level humanoid behaviors. These robots are intended to be the instruments for the SRC, which NASA will administer separately through the Centennial Challenges Program beginning in 2016. The SRC will run in parallel with the performance period of this Appendix. The SRC will consist of a virtual competition using robotic simulations followed by a physical competition using NASA provided robots, which include those hosted by awardees of (Recipients) this Appendix. This Appendix creates a competitive selection process for the award of two (2) cooperative agreements whereby each of the two (2) awardees will be provided a R5 robot as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) for at least two years. In addition to the robot, NASA will provide support and maintenance, both remotely and on-site, along with up to $250,000 funding per Recipient per government fiscal year during the performance period. Recipients are expected to perform basic and applied research and software development to increase the autonomy of the R5 robots during the performance period. During year two of the performance period, Recipients will provide access to the R5 robotic unit for a single SRC competitor. NASA believes that providing access to the R5 robotic platform to multiple robotics research groups serves a public purpose by progressing the technological readiness of humanoid robotic autonomy for success in future space missions.

 

All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative (AOR). Detailed submission instructions are provided in the SpaceTech-REDDI-2015 NRA, as well as the Guidebook for Proposers Responding to a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) or Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) (Edition January 2015). Potential proposers and their proposing organizations are urged to familiarize themselves with the submission system, ensure they are registered in NSPIRES, and submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the deadline.

 

Interested proposers should monitor the NSPIRES website or subscribe to the electronic notification system for release of the SpaceTech-REDDI-2015 Appendices.

 

Technical, programmatic, and procurement comments and questions may be addressed by e-mail to HQ-STMD-GCDC2@mail.nasa.gov . Responses to inquiries will be answered by e-mail and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the Appendix; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.

 

Point of Contact

 

    Name: Ryan Stephan

    Title: Program Exec STMD Game Changing Dev Program

    Phone: 202-358-0041

    Fax: 202-358-3878

    Email: HQ-STMD-GCDC2@mail.nasa.gov

 

    Name: Chris Gaspard

    Title: Contracting Officer Johnson Space Center

    Phone: 281-483-0034

    Fax: 000-000-0000

    Email: HQ-STMD-GCDC2@mail.nasa.gov

SpaceRef staff editor.