The GAL-xgal U-LDB spectroscopic-stratospheric terahertz observatory (GUSTO) is proposed jointly by the university of arizona (UA) and the johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory (APL)…

This federal contract award, with a ceiling value of $25,701,794.00, was issued by the Goddard Space Center to the University of Arizona for the Gal/Xgal U/LDB Spectroscopic-Stratospheric Terahertz Observatory (GUSTO) project. The University of Arizona will be responsible for the scientific payload design and development, as well as leading the science investigation and data product generation. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory will design and develop the balloon-borne gondola and perform day-to-day project management. This contract is a definitive contract with cost-no-fee pricing, and there is no set-aside designation. The GUSTO project is part of the NASA Explorers Program, which supports astrophysics missions of opportunity. Several subcontractors, including the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, Smithsonian Institution, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will also contribute to various aspects of the project.

The GAL-xgal U-LDB spectroscopic-stratospheric terahertz observatory (GUSTO) is proposed jointly by the university of arizona (UA) and the johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory (APL) in response to NASA's second stand alone missions of opportunity notice (salmon 2) program element appendix (PEA) N (NNH12ZDA006O-APEXMO2) as an astrophysics explorer mission of opportunity. The NASA explorers program office is the projects lead organization. The university of arizona will design and develop the scientific payload. The johns hopkins university applied physics laboratory (APL) will design and develop the balloon-borne gondola and will perform day-to-day project management in accordance with the leadership of the university of arizona PI. The university of arizona shall provide the necessary personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities to produce the GUSTO phase a concept study report (CSR) that encompasses: 1. Principal investigator program office. 2. Instrument system engineering, including instrument mission assurance. 3. Design of a flight qualified GUSTO instrument meeting mission and science requirements. 4. Develop plans in support of integration and test of the gondola-instrument flight system. 5. Develop plans in support of essential field operations 6. Develop plans in support of launch operations, flight operations and possible recovery. 7. Develop plans for and lead the GUSTO science investigation, as well as the generation of resulting data products. The university of arizona shall brief the GUSTO science and science implementation plan at the phase a site visit. The UA shall support planning meetings, working groups, reviews and other meetings at NASA, university of arizona and other locations as required. The university of arizona shall provide an organization chart defining UA roles and responsibilities, reporting procedures, and lines of authority. Participate in defining the relationships between the UA and APL GUSTO project office and the PI program office at university of arizona, the NASA balloon program office and NASA explorer program office.