Teaming Opportunity No. 6 for the Mission and Science Measurememnt Technology – 2004 (MSMT-2004) NASA Research Announcement (NRA)

General Information

• Document Type: Special Notice
• Solicitation Number: NASA-SNOTE-030911-001
• Posted Date: Sep 11, 2003
• Original Response Date:
• Original Archive Date: Sep 11, 2004
• Current Archive Date:

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001

Description

NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners to develop proposals for the Mission and Science Measurement Technology – 2004 (MSMT-2004) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Synopsis: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released a draft NASA Research Announcement (NRA) entitled, “Mission and Science Measurement Technology – 2004” (see http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_r/open.cfm). The final NRA is due to be released on approximately August 4, 2003. The MSMT theme seeks proposals for exploratory research and technology development in the Enabling Concepts and Technologies Program (ECT), which defines new system concepts and develops new technologies to enable scientific measurements in support of the Aerospace Technology Enterprise mission. The ECT program explores revolutionary aerospace systems, and performs fundamental research and development of high-payoff technologies. Program objectives are to identify, develop, and transfer breakthrough technologies that have broad potential across many types of systems to provide increased scientific return at lower cost, and to enable missions and capabilities beyond current horizons. The ECT program is on front end of the enabling technology pipeline that supplies the focused technology development programs of the NASA Enterprises. This NRA solicits technologies in three major areas: 1) Advanced Measurement and Detection Technology; 2) Large Aperture Technology; and 3) Low Power Microelectronics Technology (These three technology areas can be viewed in greater detail via the NRA cite noted above.) The ECT program primarily focuses on early stage technologies at Technology Readiness Levels of between 1 and 3, unless otherwise noted in the NRA. (For definitions of Technology Readiness Levels, see Appendix B of the NASA Technology Plan at http://technologyplan.nasa.gov)

The technology requirements guide future development of component and subsystem technologies, with emphasis on efficiency, miniaturization, integration, and resiliency. The goal is to capture innovative ideas from the external community, to leverage emerging technologies, and to complement NASA capabilities in critical areas. Successful proposals must outline a well-structured program (for up to three years) for development culminating in a proof-of-concept demonstration at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-4 by the end of the effort for both the Advanced Measurement and Detection Technology and Large Aperture Technology. (NOTE: The Low Power Microelectronics Technology area requires that proposed activities have an entry TRL of 3 or 4 and that the activity demonstrate a minimum TRL 5 at the end of the proposed activity.) NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking partners from other government agencies, industry, academia, and Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) to participate with NASA LaRC Principal Investigators (PI) in the ECT Program to develop proposals and execute proof of concept development and/or component breadboard validation. Subject to the availability of funds, selected proposal(s) would result in proof of concept development and/or component breadboard validation contract(s) for the selected partner(s). This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts, 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, technical data, proposal input, project schedules and cost estimates consistent with the requirements of the NRA. Potential partners must demonstrate the capabilities and experience to provide proof of concept development and/or component breadboard validation consistent with the efforts synopsized for each intended LaRC proposal.

Partners must work collaboratively with NASA and other potential industry and academic partners to perform the required tasks. Partner selection(s) will be made by LaRC based on the following criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability and availability of key personnel: This criterion evaluates the proposers’ relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform the development and key personnel available to support the development. Substantive evidence (points of contact and telephone numbers) of successful participation in similar developments should be included. (2) Cost and schedule control: This criterion evaluates the proposers’ ability to control both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in this area. (3) Facilities: This criterion evaluates the proposers’ facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss facility availability, access, and the ability to meet the proposed objectives. Responses should be limited to 5 pages (12 point font) and address each of the criteria. In all cases, the responder must indicate on the cover page of the proposal (not part of 5-page allocation) the applicable instrument team(s). All responses should be sent to: NASA Langley Research Center, Attn: Greg Manuel, Mail Stop 469, Hampton, VA 23681. The preferred method of submission is via email to: g.s.manuel@larc.nasa.gov. The due date for submission is COB September 17, 2003. Procurement questions should be directed to Tom Weih, NASA Office of Procurement, 757-864-3878; c.t.weih@larc.nasa.gov Technical questions should be addressed to each of the technical points of contact indicated below for each technical area.

The following LaRC technology proposals are seeking partnerships. (1) Advanced 2-5-micron Photon Counting Detection Development for Atmospheric Remote Sensing Applications; Technical Point of Contact: Nurul Abedin, phone 757-864-4814, email m.n.abedin@nasa.gov; Science Point of Contact: Syed Ismail, phone 757 864-2719, email Syed.Ismail-1@nasa.gov NASA Langley Research Center is assembling a spread system to demonstrate a DIAL/Lidar remote sensing instrument in the laboratory. The spread system will be designed to test instrument concepts and technology in preparation for the development of a flight instrument. This DIAL/Lidar instrument requires an advanced avalanche photodiode to operate at moderate temperatures and large area detection for long-term lidar remote sensing at 2 um and longer wavelengths. The development of advanced avalanche photodiode will enhance the capabilities to study CO2 profiling and global winds, detect wind shear for airline safety, profile aerosol and clouds, profile water vapor, monitor atmospheric pollutants (CO, etc.), and detect a large number of species in the near and mid-IR using active and passive remote sensing techniques. NASA Langley Research Center is looking for potential partners to develop a large area photodetector with a 5 m cutoff wavelength optimized for an operating temperature of -20o C. This work will involve establishing the highest operating temperature such that the desired device will meet the minimum requirements shown below: i. Collecting Area for each Element ~ 100-500 m, ii. Bandwidth 10 MHz, iii.

Responsivity @ 2.00 m 60 A/W, iv. Quantum efficiency @ 2.00 m 60%, and v. Noise equivalent power 10 -14 W/Hz. (2) Multi-Bands Semiconductor Device Technology Development; Technical Point of Contact: Dr. Nurul Abedin, phone 757-864-4814, email m.n.abedin@nasa.gov; Science Point of Contact: Dr. Joe Zawodny, phone 757 864-2681, email Joseph.M.Zawodny@nasa.gov Multi-band imaging technologies are employed in a wide range of space-borne and air-borne applications for remote sensing. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Instrument is developed based-on multi-band detectors for NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS). This instrument is covering the range from 0.4 m to 14.4 m with 36 bands. A three bands imaging instrument, Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS), is currently being developed that will provide images from 0.4 – 14.6 m with high spectral resolutions. In addition, Gas and Aerosol Monitoring Sensorcraft (GAMS) has three bands that will cover the range from 0.4 – 1.6 m. Each of the spectral bands is used to monitoring earth and atmospheric constituents. NASA Langley Research Center is looking for potential partners to develop technology, such as multi-color detector arrays from 0.4 m to 15 m. The ultimate goal is to be able to integrate practically all of the electronics required into a single integrated circuit (I.C.). This I.C. should have a three-dimensional architecture with signal detection and processing function integrated. To realize the multi-color detectors, techniques should be developed to grow device quality layers on any arbitrary substrates. The proposed goal of this study is to develop high quality multi-color devices such that the desired device will meet the following steps: 1. Study Phase-evaluate options and identify preferred materials systems 2. Evaluate different growth methods 3. Material growth and evaluation 4. Fabrication of devices and device characterization 5. Final fabrication of multi-color detector arrays

Email your questions to Gregory Manuel at g.s.manuel@larc.nasa.gov