Aug 8 2018

From The Space Library

RELEASE 18-070 NASA Announces New Partnerships to Develop Space Exploration Technologies

NASA is partnering with six U.S. companies to develop 10 “tipping point” technologies that have the potential to significantly benefit the commercial space economy and future NASA missions, including lunar lander and deep space rocket engine technologies.

Selections are based on the agency’s third competitive Tipping Point solicitation, and have a combined total award value of approximately $44 million – a significant investment in the U.S. space industry.

A technology is considered at a “tipping point” if investment in a ground or flight demonstration will result in significantly maturing the technology and improving the company’s ability to bring it to market.

"These awards focus on technology collaborations with the commercial space sector that leverage emerging markets and capabilities to meet NASA's exploration goals," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "While these key technologies will support NASA's science and human exploration missions in the future, these awards are yet another example of NASA’s commitment to our nation's growing commercial space industry today."

This solicitation targeted three Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) strategic technology focus areas: Expand Utilization of Space, Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space, and Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces.

The selected proposals, organized by strategic technology focus areas, are:

Expand Utilization of Space

• Blue Origin, L.L.C., in Kent, Washington, $10 million

Proposal: Cryogenic Fluid Management-Enhanced Integrated Propulsion Testing for Robust Lander Services Blue Origin will mature cryogenic liquid propulsion through a combination of technologies in a lunar lander-scaled integrated propulsion system. The project will culminate in testing of the integrated propulsion system and a separate experiment on Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital vehicle.

• Space Systems/Loral, L.L.C., (SSL) in Palo Alto, California, $2 million

Proposal: In-Space Xenon Transfer for Satellite, Servicer and Exploration Vehicle Replenishment and Life Extension This project will advance satellite servicing and in-space platform propellant replenishment capabilities by developing the capability to transfer xenon in space from a servicer or tanker to an active, operational satellite. The incremental addition of xenon transfer to existing robotic refueling payload opens new refueling opportunities. The project will demonstrate that in-space xenon transfer can be performed reliably in-space.

• United Launch Alliance, L.L.C. (ULA) in Centennial, Colorado, $10 million

Proposal: Integrated Vehicle Fluids Flight Demonstration An Integrated Vehicle Fluids (IVF) system supports extended-duration cryogenic upper stage operations and has applications for lunar landers. It takes advantage of available liquid hydrogen and oxygen to provide multiple kilowatts of power while potentially eliminating battery power, helium pressurization, and the hydrazine reaction control system. This effort includes qualification of key elements of the IVF subsystem and integration and flight on a Centaur upper stage.

Enable Efficient and Safe Transportation Into and Through Space

• Frontier Aerospace Corporation in Simi Valley, California, $1.9 million

Proposal: Flight Qualification of the DSE, MON-25 MMH Rocket Engine This project will advance Frontier’s Deep Space Engine (DSE) by flight demonstration as part of the first Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander mission planned for 2020. The DSE engine uses a propellant that has a lower freezing point, which provides benefits for exploration landers and deep space missions by lowering system weight and required power.

• Paragon Space Development Corporation in Tucson, Arizona, $1.6 million

Proposal: Cryogenic Encapsulating Launch Shroud and Insulated Upper Stage (CELSIUS) CELSIUS is a system that can be installed on the surface of the cryogenic upper stage tank of a space launch vehicle to provide enhanced insulation capabilities and protection from meteoroids and debris.

• SSL, $2 million

Proposal: High Efficiency 6kW Dual Mode Electric Propulsion Engine for Broad Mission Applications This project will expand SSL’s electric propulsion capabilities by developing a selectable “dual mode” power processing unit (PPU) capable of providing 300 or 600 volts to a 6 kilowatt Hall thruster, increasing overall mission efficiency and flexibility. This provides faster, more efficient, propulsive capabilities for future NASA missions.

• ULA, $2 million

Proposal: Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology Demonstration This cryogenic fluid management (CFM) demonstration project seeks to prove that very low cryogenic fuel boil off is achievable and can support long duration missions. ULA will perform critical testing of the existing space launch vehicle Centaur Cryote-3 tank.

Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces

• Astrobotic Technology, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, $10 million

Proposal: Stand-Alone Sensor for High Precision Planetary Landing This project will culminate in a lunar technology demonstration mission, advancing a low-cost, reliable, high-performance, stand-alone Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) sensor suite. This lower-mass, lower-power, passive-optical sensor suite is designed to precisely deliver robotic landers to planetary surfaces. Demonstrating these capabilities will allow the team to assist NASA in dramatically improving the performance of lunar and planetary landing missions.

• Blue Origin, $3 million

Proposal: Advancing Sensor Suites to Enable Landing Anywhere on the Lunar Surface This project will mature critical technologies that enable precision and soft landing on the Moon. The project team will integrate Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN), navigation doppler lidar, and altimetry sensors and conduct flight tests prior to lunar mission implementation. Testing will be performed at approximately 100 km altitude on board the Blue Origin New Shepard vertical takeoff vertical landing (VTVL) suborbital vehicle. The resulting sensor suite will enable precision landing anywhere on the lunar surface.

• ULA, $1.9 million

Proposal: Mid-Air Retrieval (MAR) Demonstration This project will flight demonstrate mid-air retrieval capabilities up to 8,000 pounds, increasing current capabilities by a factor of four. Paired with the NASA Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) project, this effort will demonstrate mid-air retrieval on a vehicle returning to Earth from orbital velocity. The project will utilize an ocean-going ship capable of transporting a helicopter to the recovery zone and the demonstration will conclude with recovery of the LOFTID reentry vehicle.

Through firm-fixed-price contracts, STMD will make milestone payments that cover as much as $10 million per award, over a performance period of up to 36 months. Each industry partner is required to contribute a minimum of 25 percent of total cost for each project.

STMD is responsible for developing the crosscutting, pioneering technologies and capabilities needed to achieve NASA missions. Projects resulting from the Tipping Point solicitation will enable public-private partnerships managed by programs within STMD.

RELEASE 18-071 NASA Invests in Concepts for a Vibrant Future Commercial Space Economy

In an ongoing effort to foster commercial activity in space, NASA has selected 13 companies to study the future of commercial human spaceflight in low-Earth orbit, including long-range opportunities for the International Space Station.

The studies will assess the potential growth of a low-Earth orbit economy and how to best stimulate private demand for commercial human spaceflight. The portfolio of selected studies will include specific industry concepts detailing business plans and viability for habitable platforms, whether using the space station or separate free-flying structures. The studies also will provide NASA with recommendations on the role of government and evolution of the space station in the process of transitioning U.S. human spaceflight activities in low-Earth orbit to non-governmental enterprises.

“When the International Space Station was established, we could not have anticipated all of the benefits it would provide,” said Sam Scimemi, director of the International Space Station division at NASA Headquarters. “We’re excited to receive this input from the commercial market and aerospace experts to help shape a future thriving space economy in which companies contract with each other to conduct research and activities in low-Earth orbit.”

The selected companies are:

• Axiom Space, LLC, of Houston
• Bigelow Aerospace, LLC of Las Vegas
• Blue Origin, LLC, of Kent, Washington
• The Boeing Company of Houston
• Deloitte Consulting of Manhattan Beach, California
• KBRWyle of Houston
• Lockheed Martin Corporation of Littleton, Colorado
• McKinsey & Company, Inc. of Washington, D.C.
• NanoRacks, LLC, of Webster, Texas
• Northrop Grumman of Dulles, Virginia
• Sierra Nevada Company of Louisville, Colorado
• Space Adventures, Inc., of Vienna, Virginia
• Space Systems/Loral, Inc. of Palo Alto, California

The unique concepts and analysis resulting from these studies will help NASA, the administration and Congress develop a strategic approach to expanding opportunities for American industry.

NASA’s continued investment in a strong and continually growing U.S. space industry in low-Earth orbit will allow the agency to focus on farther horizons as private companies continue successfully providing cargo resupply missions to low-Earth orbit and take advantage of the ability to launch astronauts from American soil.

These awards are yet another step in NASA’s efforts to foster a broad spectrum of commercial activities in low-Earth orbit where, in the future, NASA will be one of many customers. Application of the concepts and ideas offered through this opportunity will ensure the continuity of human spaceflight and facilitate a vibrant and competitive industrial base for continued U.S. leadership in space.

The contracts and amounts are dependent on negotiations with the selectees, but NASA estimates the combined value of all awards will be approximately $11 million, with each contract not to exceed $1 million. The final study reports will be delivered to NASA in December.