AXIS POD Final.pdf

Partnership Opportunity Document (POD)

For

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Partnerships for AXIS X-ray Mirror Assembly Development

November 2024

1. Introduction and Scope

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), as part of its core function of implementing future space science missions, seeks partnerships with industry to build an X-ray telescope for AXIS (Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite), a potential future astrophysics mission. This telescope consists of two major components: an X-ray mirror assembly (XMA) that focuses X-rays, and a detector system that records them. This POD pertains only to the building and testing of the mirror assembly.

AXIS was recently selected for a Phase A study through the Astrophysics Probe Explorer (APEX) solicitation NNH23ZDA021O (https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-establishes-new-class-of-astrophysics-missions-selects-studies/). More information on APEX can be found at https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/2023APPROBE/. More information on AXIS can be found at (https://axis.astro.umd.edu).

The principal advance that AXIS will make over current and prior X-ray observatories is that it will combine high angular resolution (1.5” at the optical axis) with a large effective collecting area. This requires new technology. The construction and performance of current and previous NASA X-ray telescopes shows that, for the purpose of mission design, X-ray mirror assemblies can be characterized with three key metrics: (1) angular resolution, (2) mass per mirror surface area, which is proportional to the effective area, and (3) production cost per mirror surface area.

Einstein’s (1979) and Chandra’s (1999) mirror assemblies were made by grinding and polishing thick substrates, achieving exquisite (<1”) angular resolution at the expense of mass and cost. NuSTAR (2012) and XRISM (2023) used replication technologies and segmented mirror assemblies, achieving moderate (>60”) angular resolution at very low mass and low cost.

AXIS baselines mirror technology currently under development by the Next Generation X-ray Optics team (NGXO) at GSFC to achieve high angular resolution at low mass and low cost per mirror surface area. NGXO mirrors achieve high angular resolution through modern direct-fabrication techniques (grinding and polishing). They achieve low mass by using single-crystal silicon material, whose lack of internal stress allows post-fabrication lightweighting by grinding the mirror backside. Finally, the mirrors achieve low cost per unit area by combining a hierarchical and modular mirror-assembly design with a fabrication method optimized for mass production.

The purpose of this POD is to find industry partners with experience in the manufacture, assembly, test and delivery of precision optics to:

1) Participate in the Phase A study to work with the NGXO and AXIS teams to improve NGXO mirror segment production and module integration techniques, formulate plans to manufacture the XMA, and estimate the cost and schedule for manufacturing the XMA;

2) Should AXIS be selected for implementation, manufacture the approximately 16,000 flight mirror segments and 260 mirror modules for the XMA, and deliver those modules to GSFC for acceptance testing and integration into the final mirror assembly.

The decision to form a partnership for building the X-ray mirror assembly was informed by responses to a Request for Information (https://sam.gov/opp/f14b16a43cd147e4bbda771ad687512c/view) released in November 2023.

The resulting government-industry partnership will fully define the acquisition strategy for the XMA. The acquisition strategy will define how mirrors based on the NGXO XMA design shall be manufactured to meet the requirements of high angular resolution, low mass, and low cost per unit area.

Selected partners will work with the NGXO team to develop and deliver the XMA, including optimizing the technical and programmatic approach for building and delivering the XMA, and writing the Concept Study Report (CSR) required during Phase A.

GSFC will negotiate Phase B contracts with selected partners if AXIS is selected for implementation. GSFC will retain independent technical authority over the entire AXIS project, including XMA mirror production and assembly. GSFC will maintain management and system engineering oversight of the entire XMA production and assembly. Final assembly of XMA will be conducted at GSFC.

NOTE: Upon selection, GSFC may discuss and further tailor the roles proposed by respondents in the best interests of the proposal.

The following schedule should be used as a basis for responses to this opportunity

Competitive Phase A Start Date November 14, 2024 Concept Study Report (CSR) Due Late 2025 (target) Site Visit Early 2026 (target) Down select Mid 2026 (target) AO-Required Launch Readiness Date NLT January 2032 (TBR)

Cost and cost fidelity are important issues for the proposal. The cost cap for the APEX program is $1B (FY23$), excluding launch vehicle, and not including mission-specific adjustments to the cap. The proposed cost shall include the instrument, spacecraft, instrument to spacecraft integration support, environmental testing, launch site operations, and mission and science operations for a minimum of 5 years. Reserves will be held at the project level and not with any partners.

There will be no exchange of funds between the industry partners during Phase A. Post CSR submission, the Government and industry partner will generate the necessary documentation, i.e., Government RFP, industry partner cost and technical proposal, Government cost and technical evaluation of industry partners proposal, etc. for a Bridge Phase B contract that will be awarded should NASA HQ down select the AXIS mission to proceed into Phase B. Upon down-selection and commensurate contract award, funding will be available for the industry partner to begin working with the AXIS project to manufacture the Mirror Segments and Mirror Modules.

2. Requirements

Selected partners shall produce mirror segments and/or modules for the XMA. More detailed information will be available to those responding with a Notice of Interest (NOI) via a Technical Package.

A Notice of Interest does not obligate an organization to provide a POD response. The XMA is cylindrical with 9 concentric rings of mirror modules, each containing multiple segments, aligned and assembled in a “spider” structure that holds the XMA together. The XMA also includes active and passive thermal control, electrical harness, and an interface to the rest of the observatory. As it relates to the segments and modules, the XMA will require:

Quantity Value Number of flight mirror segments, including spares

16,000

Number of flight mirror modules, including spares

Segment Size 100 x 100 x 0.8 mm Number of unique segment prescriptions 540 Number of unique module designs 9 (each module in a ring is identical) Segment spacing in modules 4 mm Number of Segments per Module 18-30 XMA inner and outer diameter 0.3m, 1.8m

2.1 Mirror Segments

Mirror segment providers shall, as AXIS team members, be responsible for:

1. A plan to manufacture about 16,000 flight-quality mirror segments using technology developed by the NGXO, and to deliver these segments to the Mirror Module Providers.

2. Developing a cost and schedule for this plan.

3. Optimizing the technical and programmatic approach to building the XMA.

4. Contributing to relevant portions of the Concept Study Report.

5. Participating in the review of the Concept Study Report and Site Visit.

6. Upon selection for implementation, manufacturing about 16,000 flight-quality mirror segments according to the production plan.

The Government’s segment design, current manufacturing process, and nominal schedule will be provided to those responding with a NOI.

Mirror segment providers are encouraged to offer improvements and innovations to any step in the mirror fabrication process, or to the overall workflow, that will result in performance, mass, cost, or schedule benefits.

2.2 Mirror Modules

Mirror module providers shall, as AXIS team members, be responsible for:

1. A plan to manufacture about 260 flight-quality mirror modules using segments delivered by the Mirror segment providers and technology developed by the NGXO, and to deliver these segments for acceptance testing at GSFC.

2. Developing a cost and schedule for this plan.

3. Optimizing the technical and programmatic approach to building the XMA.

4. Contributing to relevant portions of the Concept Study Report.

5. Participating in the review of the Concept Study Report and Site Visit.

6. Upon selection for implementation, manufacturing about 260 flight-quality mirror modules according to the production plan.

The Government’s module design, current manufacturing process, and nominal schedule will be provided to those responding with a NOI.

Mirror module providers are encouraged to offer improvements and innovations to any step in the module fabrication process, or to the overall workflow, that will result in performance, mass, cost, or schedule benefits.

3. Pre-Selection Support

It is expected that the selected partners will provide support using their own resources to help develop the CSR in response to the 2023 APEX AO in the following areas:

Item 1: Mirror Segments

Selected partners shall work as part of the AXIS team to optimize the technical and programmatic approach to building the XMA, establish a segment Production Plan that includes a robust cost and schedule, document this plan and contribute to the CSR as it relates to mirror segments, and support the AXIS project during the CSR review and the Site Visit. More specific outcomes include:

Selected partners shall actively participate in meetings with AXIS team members and NGXO team members to adapt the Government’s segment technology workflow to mass production.

Selected partners shall establish a segment Production Plan that produces sufficient flight-quality segments at the time and cadence needed to support parallel module production.

Selected partners shall produce a cost and schedule for the segment Production Plan.

Selected partners shall contribute to the CSR as it relates to segment technology; the segment production plan; the cost and schedule of this plan, including the basis of estimates;

management of this plan, including risk mitigation; and relevant experience.

Selected partners shall support relevant pre-submission reviews (such as a schedule review or red team review)

Item 2: Mirror Modules

Selected partners shall work as part of the AXIS team to optimize the technical and programmatic approach to building the XMA, establish a module Production Plan that includes a robust cost and schedule, document this plan and contribute to the CSR as it relates to mirror modules, and support the AXIS project during the CSR review and the Site Visit. More specific outcomes include:

Selected partners shall actively participate in meetings with AXIS team members and NGXO team members to adapt the Government’s module technology workflow to industrial production.

Selected partners shall establish a module Production Plan that incorporates segments received from the Mirror Segment Providers and produces flight-quality modules at the time and cadence needed to support module acceptance testing and integration into the XMA.

Selected partners shall produce a cost and schedule for the module Production Plan.

Selected partners shall contribute to the CSR as it relates to the module technology; the module production plan; the cost and schedule of this plan, including the basis of estimates;

management of this plan, including risk mitigation; and relevant experience.

Selected partners shall support relevant pre-submission reviews (such as a schedule review or red team review)

4. Competitive Phase A Support

AXIS was selected for a competitive Phase A to begin November 14, 2024. Required support is detailed in Section 3.

5. POD Response Guidance

Potential respondents may respond to fill any or all roles outlined above. Potential respondents are asked to contact the GSFC Point of Contact listed below as soon as possible after release of this document with a Notice of Interest. This contact does not create an obligation to respond to the POD but allows GSFC to enable a mechanism for managing questions and answers to all respondents, should such interaction be necessary. All Notice of Interest respondents will receive a Technical Package with further details that will facilitate a focused response. These details are competition sensitive and not to be shared outside the respondent organization necessary to prepare a full response.

All questions and answers will be sent to all those who responded to the Notice of Interest, while the source of the questions shall be held confidential. Questions and answers that contain information unique to a respondent’s proprietary approach will not be shared if they are identified as such. Questions can be sent to the Point of Contact listed below via email. For purposes of this partnership opportunity, the primary contact is:

POC: Dave Richardson, david.h.richardson@nasa.gov

Backup POC: Gerard Daelemans, gerard.j.daelemans@nasa.gov

Responses will be treated as proprietary information and controlled as such.

There will be a virtual pre-submission conference on Monday, November 18, 2024. All potential respondents who have submitted a Notice of Interest will receive information about this conference.

Final presentation packages must be received by 1600 EST on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Presentations are to be delivered electronically at the above POC email addresses.

Following receipt of respondents proposal package NASA/GSFC will set up teleconferences with each respondent for oral presentation and questions and answers. The timeline of these teleconferences is expected to be the 1-2 weeks after the response deadline date.

Partnership selection is expected to be made 1-2 weeks week after final presentations. NASA GSFC reserves the option to NOT select any teaming partners under this POD offering based on materials received.

All respondents to this POD will be offered an informal debrief after final selection.

Responses to this POD shall conform to the following requirements:

5.1 Mirror Segment Provider Requirements

Submit material document not to exceed 15 pages. The font size for the text shall be no smaller than 12 points. File format should be PDF. The document must address all relevant requirements noted in Sections 2-4 of this POD and all relevant requirements in the Technical Package. The document should include, at a minimum:

a. Respondent’s experience in the manufacture, assembly, and test of precision optics, commensurate in quality and quantity with the optics described in the Technical Package. The experience can be in spaceflight, consumer, military, or any other areas.

b. Respondent’s capacity to manufacture the required number of segments and ability to acquire or lease additional facilities if needed.

c. Respondent’s capacity to provide and manage the trained, motivated workforce needed for manufacturing, including via hiring if necessary.

d. Respondent’s approach to control cost and schedule.

e. Respondent’s approach to quality control, including but not limited to testing segments and operating machines and tools

f. A notional Production Plan that meets requirements in the Technical Package for mirror segments and is consistent with the schedule in the Technical Package.

g. A rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for the notional Production Plan.

5.2 Mirror Module Provider Requirements:

Submit a materials document that shall not exceed 15 pages. The font size for the text shall be no smaller than 12 points. File format should be PDF. The document must address all relevant requirements noted in Sections 2-4 of this POD and all relevant requirements in the Technical Package. The materials document should include, at a minimum:

a. Respondent’s experience in the manufacture, assembly, and test of precision optics, commensurate in quality and quantity with the optics described in the Technical Package.

The experience can be in spaceflight, consumer, military, or any other areas.

b. Respondent’s capacity to receive segments, manufacture the required number of modules, and ability to acquire or lease additional facilities if needed.

c. Respondent’s capacity to provide and manage the trained, motivated workforce needed for manufacturing, including via hiring if necessary.

d. Respondent’s approach to control cost and schedule.

e. Respondent’s approach to quality control, including but not limited to testing optical performance and operating machines and tools.

f. A notional Production Plan that meets requirements in the Technical Package for mirror modules and is consistent with the schedule in the Technical Package.

g. A rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) cost estimate for the notional Production Plan.

NOTE: Respondents proposing to provide both the segments and mirrors may provide up to 15 pages for each in a single document that conforms to the other requirements.

6. Evaluation Factors and Criteria

Selection criteria will be consistent with the desire to encourage a cost-effective partnership between the Government and Industry. The information requested in Section 5 will allow the evaluators to determine how well the respondents’ capabilities match and enable the AXIS mission.

The evaluation team will use the following factors in selection and award:

1. Technical Approach (30%): Respondents will be evaluated on their ability to meet and understand the requirements given in this document and Technical Package, based in part but not in whole on the notional Production Plan.

2. Relevant Experience and Past Performance (30%): Special emphasis will be given to demonstrated experience with similar hardware deliveries at the scale required by the AXIS

XMA.

3. Cost/Schedule (40%): Respondents will be evaluated on their experience and plan to control overall production cost and production schedule.

7.Acronyms

AXIS - Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite CSR - Concept Study Report ESA - European Space Agency GSFC – Goddard Space Flight Center JAXA - Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration NuSTAR - Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array NXGO - Next Generation X-ray Optics team XRISM - X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission XMA - X-ray Mirror Assembly NOI - Notice of Interest POD - Partnership Opportunity Document ROM - Rough Order of Magnitude