Attachment B2 -Topic 2-Technical Performance Measures DRAFT.pdf

This is an attachment to a federal contract opportunity solicitation containing technical performance metrics and desired system characteristics for a lunar oxygen extraction demonstration project under the NextSTEP-3 program.

The document specifies 11 primary requirement categories that offerors must address: oxygen production throughput, pilot-scale demonstration, integrated process flow, system performance metrics, oxygen production measurement, flight demonstration-forward readiness, continuous operations demonstration, waste handling, product stream characterization, regolith feed system, and thermal management. Requirement 1.1.1 mandates that the demonstrated system operate at a throughput scalable to 10 metric tons of oxygen per year without significant modifications to the underlying technology. Requirement 1.2.1 encourages a pilot-scale system capable of producing 1 metric ton of oxygen per year (approximately 0.2 kg O₂/hr). Requirement 1.3.1 requires an integrated process flow where product streams transfer directly between downstream components without interruption or material injection/removal. Requirement 1.4.1 specifies key performance metrics to be recorded including total oxygen produced, production rate, energy input efficiency, extraction efficiency, and output stream composition. Requirements 1.5.1 and 1.5.2 require measurement and characterization of oxygen yield and cleanliness to demonstrate compliance with liquefaction requirements for propellant production. Requirement 1.6.1 addresses flight demonstration readiness by requiring identification of all modifications needed to transition the ground system to flight-ready implementation with assessed performance impacts. Requirement 1.7.1 mandates a 48-hour minimum continuous operations demonstration with consumables and repairs documented. Requirements 1.8.1 through 1.8.3 address waste handling and discharge procedures. Requirement 1.9.1 requires composition and mass measurement of the product stream. Requirement 1.10.1 specifies a regolith handling system with hopper capability. Requirement 1.11.1 requires identification of a regolith simulant representing lunar highlands regolith appropriate for the extraction process, with acknowledged limitations noted. Requirements 1.12.1 through 1.12.3 require thermal management data collection and reporting to support future thermal vacuum testing.