Capabilities Statement_092023.pdf

Lunar Freezer System Request for Information (RFI)

September 2023

This document has been approved for public release per STRIVES #20230014114.

This document has been approved for public release via the STRIVES Process (#20230014114).

It has been reviewed for Proprietary, CUI, and Export Control (ITAR/EAR) and has been determined to be non-sensitive.

Background

In the upcoming fiscal year, NASA plans to begin development efforts on a Lunar Freezer System to support the scientific and geological efforts of returning lunar samples from the moon to Earth during Artemis missions. The purpose of this Request for Information is to provide potential contractors the overall scope for the utilization capabilities of the Lunar Freezer System, and to solicit information regarding existing capabilities and concepts in support of the freezer development efforts.

System Overview

The Lunar Freezer System hardware will serve as a conditioned asset to transport lunar samples collected during crew Extra-vehicular Activities (EVA) as part of the Artemis campaign missions. The lunar samples, including frozen lunar rocks, regolith (soil and pebbles <1cm) and drill samples, will be transported in sealed containers from the surface of the moon, back to Earth, via a variety of spacecraft and transportation methods. Initially, the samples collected on the lunar surface will be transported via the Human Landing System (HLS) to Orion, and then returned to Earth in the Orion crew vehicle. The Lunar Freezer System may also be used to store human biological/physiological samples collected during the missions. It is also anticipated that one of the Lunar Freezer Systems will remain onboard Gateway (including during uncrewed phases) to support conditioned biological samples prior to return to Earth.

Subsequent missions are planned to include transportation between lunar rovers, habitat(s), HLS, Gateway lunar outpost, and Orion. The requirements for future vehicles (e.g. lunar rovers, surface habitats, etc.) are not defined, and therefore are not intended to be addressed at this stage of the Lunar Freezer System hardware development.

Science samples, lunar rocks and regolith, biological samples, or frozen cargo contained within the Lunar Freezer System hardware are referred to in this document as ‘sample’. The Lunar Freezer System will receive the resources needed for operation via interfaces provided by each of the following vehicles:

Human Landing System, Gateway (primarily Gateway Logistics Module (LM)), and Orion spacecraft.

As part of the Artemis mission concept development and planning, a two-phased approach was proposed for the powered freezer development to meet the short-term and the Moon-to-Mars science objectives. The Lunar Freezer System is intended to meet the short-term objectives by providing a freezer for early Artemis missions; the concept will use technology from existing freezer(s). Long-term development efforts, for later Artemis missions, are intended to explore upgraded or enhanced freezer technology to obtain lower cryogenic temperatures, as well as alternate return methods to accommodate larger sample sizes. To meet the short-term mission objectives of Artemis, the target for the delivery of the first flight units of the Lunar Freezer System is by the end of calendar year 2027, for an anticipated launch on Artemis V.

Lunar Freezer System Request for Information (RFI)

September 2023

This document has been approved for public release per STRIVES #20230014114.

Lunar Freezer System Basic Schedule

• Qual unit delivery at ATP +36 months

• First flight unit delivery at ATP +42 months

Note, per the current project schedule, the Artemis program intends to have the first Lunar Freezer System flight unit delivered by the end of calendar year 2027, with a target first flight on Artemis V mission.