SATPC003342 Tab 04 4 SOW Redacted.pdf

Statement of Work for One (1) Mettler Toledo Microbalance

Background:

The I3OLAB laboratory, part of the NASA Ames Astrophysics & Astrochemistry Laboratory, consists of several pieces of equipment that are critical to fulfil responsibilities for tasks under the NASA Emerging Worlds (EW) Program, NASA Interdisciplinary Consortium for Astrobiology Research (ICAR) Program, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, as well as three ongoing ISFM (Internal Science Funding Model) from the Planetary Science Division: the Production of Astrobiologically Important Organics During Early Planetary System Formation and Evolution, the Evolutionary Process that Drove the Emergence and early distribution of Life (EPDEL), and the NASA Center for Optical Constants (NCOC). The long shutdown due to the pandemic resulted in limited access to the laboratory and the subsequent poor maintenance of instruments such as the microbalance. The microbalance is a critical piece of equipment used to weigh chemicals with high accuracy. Samples can be either commercial solid or liquid materials that are weighed to prepare standards with concentrations known with high precision, samples produced in the laboratory that are weighed to determine efficiencies and yields of the processes that are simulated in the laboratory experiments, or extraterrestrial samples from meteorites or returned from asteroids by space missions. After returning to on-site work, the microbalance that was routinely used stopped working, and because it was purchased over 15 years ago, it is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

The laboratory samples produced in these projects and their comparison with commercial standards prepared with high-accuracy concentrations are critical to address key tasks in the EW and ICAR Programs, as well as the laboratory components of the PSD ISFM Work Packages. In addition, weighing precious extraterrestrial samples returned from asteroids by the NASA OSIRIS-REx and the JAXA Hayabusa2 missions with high accuracy is critical to study how the analysis of the samples affect the materials studied before they are returned for future curation.

Therefore, the microbalance instrument plays an important role in the support for multiple NASA missions, including JWST and OSIRIS-REx.

The primary goal of the laboratory component of these projects is produce samples which simulate the formation of both soluble organic materials (SOM) and insoluble organic materials (IOM) that are found in meteorites, samples returned from asteroids (e.g., from Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission). The analysis of these laboratory samples, e.g., spectroscopic data, is critical to our understanding of the chemical evolution of irradiated organic compounds, and the resulting data are used to interpret astronomical observations (e.g., from NASA’s JWST) as well as input data for models to understand the formation of planetary systems including our own Solar System. Thus, the proposed experiments have a legacy value, as the spectroscopic data generated for these multiple projects will serve as a database to interpret the data obtained made by the OSIRIS-REX and JWST mission.

Scope and Specifications:

The I3OLAB requires the purchase of a new microbalance to replace the current defective one.

The new microbalance will be used immediately to replace the current one as soon as it is delivered, due to the sensitive research milestone deadlines associated with these multiple projects.

Statement of Work for One (1) Mettler Toledo Microbalance

The minimum technical specifications and preferred size/weight specifications for this microbalance instrument shall include:

• Maximum capacity (limit value): 220 g

• Maximum capacity (fine range, limit value): 82 g

• Readability (limit value): 0.1 mg

• Readability (fine range, limit value): 0.01 mg

• Repeatability (at nominal load, limit value): 0.08 mg

• Repeatability (fine range, at nominal load, limit value): 0.05 mg

• Repeatability (fine range, at low load, limit value): 0.02 mg (20 mg)

• Linearity deviation (limit value): 0.2 mg

• Sensitivity offset (test weight, limit value): 0.07 mg

• Repeatability (at nominal load, typical value): 0.08 mg

• Repeatability (at low load, typical value): 0.015 mg (20 g)

• Linearity deviation (within 10 g, typical value): 0.02 mg

• USP minimum weight (typical value): 30 mg

• Minimum sample weight (typical value): 3 mg

• Settling time (typical value): 4 s

• Settling time (fine range, typical value): 8 s

• Interfaces: USB-B (to device), RS232 (integrated)

• Adjustment: internal (automatic)

• Accuracy: internal weights to automatically test and adjust the balance

• Dimensions (width × depth × height): 247 mm × 358 mm × 331 mm

• Usable height of draft shield: 234 mm

• Space saving: draft shield doors should not project beyond the balance

• Weighing pan dimension: 80 mm diameter

• Quick release glass panels for ease of cleaning the instrument is preferred

• Weight of balance: 6.8 kg

• One instrument standard qualification

• Service plan with a minimum of 2 visits

• Shipping included

Period of Performance:

The period of performance shall be 5–9 weeks from ARO.