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NASA Seeks Industry Studies for Deep Space Power, Propulsion

The capability to provide the power and propulsion necessary to support human exploration missions near the Moon and move multi-ton objects in space will be of critical importance as we prepare for longer missions farther into the solar system. NASA has issued a draft announcement seeking U.S. industry-led studies for an advanced solar electric propulsion (SEP) vehicle capability. The studies will help define required capabilities and reduce risk for the 50 kilowatt-class SEP needed for the agency’s near-term exploration goals.  The final solicitation for study proposals is targeted for release later this month, to allow time for consideration of feedback on the draft.

The announcement is issued as a draft for Appendix C, Power and Propulsion Element Studies, under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The solicitation requests study proposals for areas of potential synergy between current and anticipated future commercial capabilities, and NASA’s planned power and propulsion vehicle. High-priority topics that respondents are asked to address include propulsive maneuvers in the family of orbits around the moon, as well as operational approaches and interfaces with visiting crew and robotic vehicles.

Advancing SEP has been a key investment over the past decade across NASA as well as other government agencies and the commercial spaceflight industry. Although traditionally used for robotic missions, technological progress in recent years has increased interest in using the efficient, low-thrust SEP to supplement high-thrust chemical propulsion for human spaceflight. The system envisioned for farther-term deep space exploration missions involves a 300 kW system. The 50 kW system will help to develop, integrate and demonstrate these advanced component technologies to validate extensibility to the 300 kW system.

NASA plans to demonstrate a power and propulsion capability after launching the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) together with the Orion spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System rocket on the first flight with crew, which will carry humans farther into space than ever before. After launch, the combined stack of Orion, the PPE spacecraft and the Exploration Upper Stage of the rocket will first orbit Earth twice to ensure its systems are working normally. Following these two orbits, the PPE spacecraft and Exploration Upper Stage will separate from Orion and the PPE mounted inside the rocket’s universal stage adapter will be released. The PPE will then have 100 days to continue on to reach its intended lunar orbit.

A power and propulsion spacecraft will be the first element of the agency’s deep space gateway concept, providing power and communications for a lunar-orbiting, crew-tended spaceport.  Once the PPE spacecraft reaches its intended lunar orbit, engineers will perform checkout operations and monitor performance while it awaits the next piece of the gateway. A habitation element that would enable extended Orion crew time would be launched on the subsequent mission to join the PPE. Future elements of the gateway to deep space would include a docking capability and logistics modules to enable research and replenishment for deep space transport infrastructure.

As NASA moves out beyond low-Earth orbit and into deep space, we will need to create a sustainable infrastructure to support the exploration of a variety of destinations in the decades ahead. The power and propulsion element is an essential component of this infrastructure that will enable us to move crew and cargo across vast distances, and efficiently and affordably place assets into position prior to the arrival of humans.

The solicitation for study proposals is open to non-Government U.S. institutions. Like previous NextSTEP appendices, Appendix C requires offerors to contribute toward the effort, with eligible small businesses qualifying for a lower contributing percentage.

Study proposal submissions will be due Sept. 26, 2017. Potential respondents may submit written comments or questions on the Appendix C draft to the email identified in the announcement until Aug. 22.

NASA hosted an industry forum Aug. 17, 2017, at NASA Headquarters. During the forum, NASA and industry partners discussed details of the study request in preparation for release of the final solicitation. Briefing materials are below:

Industry Forum Briefing Packet – Power & Propulsion Element
Q&A – August 2017 Power-Propulsion Element Industry Forum

The final solicitation was posted to FedBizOps on August 30, 2017.  

NextSTEP Appendix C – Power and Propulsion Element Studies:
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=6f8ad3238c8f2b4200442ed908473cf3&tab=core&_cview=0