Statement of Objectives.pdf

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

Maturation/Risk Reduction of Sustainable Aviation Technology Concepts for Subsonic Transports

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center

May 4, 2021

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center Edwards, California

Acceleration/Risk Reduction Revision Base

Table of Contents

I. Background ………………………………………………... 2

II. Program Objectives ………………………………………… 3

III. Contract Objectives ………………………………………… 4

IV. Program Management Objectives ………………………….. 5

I. Background

In alignment with the Strategic Implementation Plan of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, NASA conducts research to identify and mature promising technologies that enable subsonic transports that meet global sustainable aviation goals with lower environmental impact, have lower operating costs, increased efficiency and make less noise around community airports.

Sustainable future vision systems, such as advanced tube and wing configurations, truss-braced wing, and lifting wing body configurations are defined as conceptual, advanced subsonic transport aircraft concepts suitable for operation in the air transportation system.

NASA has developed and published the NASA Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan to address a Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transport Thrust. Community outcomes and Subsonic Transport System Level Metrics for three epochs have been developed and broadly communicated. The associated Community Outcomes/Benefits are shown below.

The Subsonic Transport System Level Metric Table is shown below.

To enable a sustainable future for commercial aviation, NASA is conducting a coordinated and complementary research program and seeking advances in aero-structural integration, producible, high-rate composite aircraft structures, and emerging propulsion systems that have a high probability of transition to commercial single-aisle seat class transport aircraft in the 2030 to 2035 timeframe.

II. Program Objectives

NASA is investigating the utilization of integrated multi-technology flight demonstrations with US industry to validate the benefits and retire technical risks and advance technology readiness to level 6 of key synergistic commercial transport technologies required to achieve sustainable aviation goals for the 2030s.

The objective of this requirement is to assist NASA in reducing the risk and cost of potential future flight demonstration procurement(s) that support accomplishing global sustainable aviation goals, the Mid-Term Community Outcomes stated above, and the NASA ARMD critical commitment associated single-aisle seat class subsonic transports.

Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transport Thrust Critical Commitment – Validate the benefits and retire the technical risks for key vehicle technologies and associated design, test, and manufacturing capabilities in time to achieve subsonic transport efficiency, economic and environmental performance for the next generation of commercial transport aircraft.

On December 1, 2020, at the NASA Future Subsonic Flight Demonstration Planning Industry Day, U.S. Industry described current vision systems and technology maturation plans required to enable sustainable single-aisle seat class transports by 2030 to 2035. NASA seeks to accelerate identified technology developments and reduce the risk, cost, and schedule of potential future flight demonstrations.

III. Contract Objectives

The objective of this requirement is to reduce the risk and cost of potential future subsonic flight demonstration procurements, and to accelerate the U.S. fleet introduction of sustainable vision systems in the single-aisle seat class.

In response to the RFP, the offeror shall provide a detailed description of their current single-aisle seat class transport vision system to be introduced into the US fleet and the associated benefits to operators and the flying public as compared to state-of-the-art transports and compared to the midterm aircraft system level benefits shown above. In addition, a current list of enabling technologies shall be provided.

In response to the RFP, the offeror shall provide a technical approach and cost proposal for each of the following tasks to be completed no later than three months after award:

a. Assuming an introduction into the fleet in the 2030 to 2035 timeframe, develop and provide an analysis of alternatives (AoA) for the next generation single-aisle transport (NGSAT) vision system. An AoA is used to identify the most impactful technology developments required to enable achieving the sustainability and performance goals of the NGSAT vision system. Technology developments may include vision system configuration and/or architecture developments beyond traditional tube and wing transports.

b. Given the AoA results, develop and provide an updated detailed description of the offeror’s preferred vision system and vision system architecture. Develop and provide the operator and flying public benefits associated with the vision system compared to current air transportation product(s) it may replace. Update and describe sustainability and performance goals and key performance parameters associated with the vision system in terms system level metrics, such as system noise, NOx, and mission fuel burn/energy use.

c. Given the AoA results, and the selected vision system, develop and provide Technology/Configuration/Architecture Development and Maturation Plans, including use of required ground and flight demonstrations. Link the plans to the enablement of the selected vision system. Ground testing may be needed to advance technology/architecture/configuration readiness and/or may be needed to develop a flight demonstrator. Include a table of technologies with TRL levels of technologies. Include starting, intermediate, and finishing TRL levels aligned with ground and flight demonstrations.

d. Develop and provide system and subsystem requirements for key enabling, offeror preferred, ground and flight demonstrations. For the flight demonstrator, develop and provide a logical and physical system architecture, system hierarchy to the subsystem level, and a product breakdown structure (PBS) to the subsystem level.

e. Develop and provide technical, and risk-infused cost and schedule plans for offeror preferred risk-reduction ground tests and flight demonstrations. Show costs and schedule tasks for design, fabrication, procurement, assembly, and integration/checkout of each of major aircraft and advanced technology subsystem for both ground tests and flight demonstrations.

f. Conduct and provide Monte-Carlo simulations to predict final cost and finish date of offeror preferred technology developments and flight demonstrations with 50 percent and 70 percent confidence level. Technical and Cost plans shall be described in terms of traditional Phase A-E break outs over time. Risk-infused costs and schedule estimates should be provided to at least level 3.

g. Describe and provide required partnerships and interfaces for offeror preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations. Describe in detail potential cost share or risk strategies in terms of percent of total cost of the tests and demonstrations.

h. Develop and provide key performance parameters, technical performance parameters, technical performance indicators associated with offeror preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations. Associate and link key performance parameters of the vision system with the technical performance parameters of the desired ground tests and flight demonstrations.

i. Develop and provide a System Integration approach for offeror preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations.

j. Develop and provide a Human System Integration approach for offeror preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations.

k. Develop and provide offeror’s concept of operations of the preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations. Assuming delivery of the vehicle to NASA and jointly conducted flight test operations, identify by scenario the team makeup and roles, as well as any needed government furnished hardware or facilities. Identify the major heritage hardware and software assumptions and associated risks with preferred ground and flight demonstrations.

l. Develop and provide detailed risk assessments (technical, cost and schedule) with associated risk mitigation plans for offeror preferred ground tests and flight demonstrations. Include a list of the top 10 risks using a 5x5 Likelihood / Consequence scoring method and link the risk mitigation plans and steps to the proposed cost/schedule plans.

In response to the RFP, the offeror shall also provide a separate technical approach and cost proposal for up to three (3) prioritized risk mitigation plans to be conducted over a twelve-month timeframe to effectively accelerate offeror preferred flight demonstrations.

Link and describe the risk reduction activities to favorable impacts on schedule and/or cost.

IV. Program Management Objectives

a. A kickoff meeting shall occur via WebEx within one week of contract award.

b. The contract’s 3, 6, and 9-month review shall occur via WebEx and the 12-month (final) reviews shall occur at the contractor site. The contractor shall deliver a set of PowerPoint slides of the review package 3 business days prior to each review

c. Task Status shall be provided via telecom, and face to face meetings, as needed, with the NASA COR and Technical Monitor.

d. The contractor shall submit written reports for each awarded task electronically no later than the contract completion date.

e. Data created during the conduct of this work shall be marked Government Purpose Rights. Existing contractor-owned data may be marked proprietary.