FA8650-19-S-1013-Q&As.pdf

Solicitation Number: FA8650-19-S-1013

LIDAR & GM-LRD Industry Day Q &A

1. What are the data rights requirements?

The Air Force desires unlimited data rights.

2. What security level will be required for this effort?

One person should have a Top Secret (TS). Discuss security level of personnel in proposal. A minimum of Secret is required to work in the labs.

GM-LRD Meeting:

3. Who is the primary sponsor of the lasercom effort?

The lasercom effort is of interest to AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, Spacecraft Component Technology Branch (AFRL/RVSV) where Julie Smith is the POC. Her email address is julie.smith.7@us.af.mil.

4. What is the timeline of the lasercom effort?

Not stated, but will follow the GM-LRD development effort. Initially desired hardware in 2019 for lasersom.

5. How many units per year and how many years?

Expect low production volume for the cameras, maybe 10s of units per year. If a follow-on program has a requirement for the cameras, low production volume would be expected. For imaging applications, the Army will likely have higher demand than the AF, however still small production volumes. For lasercom applications, a few receivers are needed for the research efforts, while higher production volume of possibly 100s per year could be expected if a requirement materializes.

6. How many ground stations for the lasercom effort?

Probably 1 (if supporting the Blackjack program). That information would be best acquired by contacting AFRL/RVSV, Julie Smith, julie.smith.7@us.af.mil.

7. Would the 10s per year for the lasercom effort also apply to this effort?

AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate will be the best source of information for lasercom. That information would be best acquired by contacting AFRL/RVSV, Julie Smith, julie.smith.7@us.af.mil.

Production volume would have to be determined through a market analysis.

8. Space comms: what is the satellite altitude, duration, and service being targeted?

Low earth orbit, if supporting the Blackjack program. The DARPA BAA HR001118S0032 is likely the best reference for that program information, or contact Julie Smith at AFRL/RVSV, julie.smith.7@us.af.mil. The Blackjack program held a Proposers’ Day on 15 March 2018.

Blackjack is through the DARPA/TTO office, and lists the agency contact as:

HR001118S0032@darpa.mil.

mailto:HR001118S0032@darpa.mil

9. Can we learn more about the MIT Lincoln Labs (LL) effort? Are there publications? Who is on that project?

The MIT LL Geiger mode LiDAR receivers have been in development for multiple decades, and a number of people associated with the development. The current POC is Herman Pretorius, hermanus.pretorius@ll.mit.edu.

Publications have been released through MIT LL, SPIE, and other sources. The current URL for MIT LL publications is: https://www.ll.mit.edu/r-d/publications. Publications describing the detector operation are: (1) “Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiodes for Three-Dimensional Imaging” authored by Brian F. Aull, et. al., VOLUME 13, NUMBER 2, 2002 LINCOLN LABORATORY JOURNAL. (2) “Crosstalk Analysis of Integrated Geiger-mode Avalanche Photodiode Focal Plane Arrays”, Richard D. Younger, et. al., Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7320, 2009. (3) “Demonstration of lasercom and spatial tracking with a silicon Geiger-mode APD array”, Timothy M. Yarnall, et. al., Proc. SPIE 9739, Free- Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVIII, 15 March 2016.

Publications related to lasercom are below, but also suggested to contact AFRL/RVSV, Julie Smith, julie.smith.7@us.af.mil.

- “Overview and Results of the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration”, D. Boroson, B.

Robinson, D. Murphy, D. Burianek, F. Khatri, J. Kovalik, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 8971, 6 March 2014

- “The NASA Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration—Successful High-Rate Laser Communications To and From the Moon”, B. Robinson, D. Boroson, D. Burianek, D. Murphy, F.

Khatri, J. Burnside, J. Kansky, A. Biswas, Z. Sodnik, D. Cornwell, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautic, SpaceOps Conferences, 5 May 2014

- “Time-of-Flight and Ranging Experiments on the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration”, M.

Stevens, R. Parenti, M. Willis, J. Greco, F. Khatri, B. Robinson, D. Boroson, Stanford PNT Symposium, 12 November 2015

- “Downlink Synchronization for the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration”, M. M. Willis, B.

S. Robinson, M. L. Stevens, B. R. Romkey, J. A. Matthews, J. A. Greco, M. E.Grein, E. A. Dauler, A. J. Kerman, D. Rosenberg, D. V. Murphy, D. M. Boroson, 2011 International Conference on Space Optical Systems and Applications

10. Question to MIT LL’s Pretorius: Has MIT LL thought about having a workshop on their Geiger mode work?

Additional information will be available to proposers through contacting MIT LL. POC is: Herman Pretorius, hermanus.pretorius@ll.mit.edu.

11. What are the pros/cons of working with MIT LL on this?

Pros include utilization of the MIT LL expertise in that technology as related to Geiger mode receiver development, design, experimentation, testing, and processing of the data toward imaging and laser communication applications, along with experience in system development to TRL 6+.

Cons may include a potential delay when working with multiple groups, ability to communicate, and overall schedule.

mailto:hermanus.pretorius@ll.mit.edu https://www.ll.mit.edu/r-d/publications

12. Do we need to shoot for PLI (Princeton Lightwave. Inc.) specs on cameras?

Consider meeting or exceeding the specs of the MIT LL cameras.

13. What are they? PDE, dark count, sensitivity, etc.

MIT LL publications and SPIE publications are available through internet searches. Suggested authors are: Rich Heinrichs, Brian Aull, Mark Itzler, and Mark Entwistle.

14. When will the RFP come out?

The plan was to release in Q1 ’19, but still waiting on funding. It will move quickly though once funding comes through. Funding looks more secure, plan on releasing same time as LIDAR in January

15. Can an IDIQ or OTA be used to expedite the RFP process?

We will be using a cost-type contract.

16. What is the sensitivity of the information, and does the project require access to classified information?

The information from MIT LL and information developed under this program will contain ITAR data.

No DD254 required for the project, however follow-on work may require.

17. Could development of a 2 um wavelength APD be a parallel effort with the asynchronous GM-

APD?

It will probably need to occur after, it is hard to say because it depends on workload vs resources to handle both efforts at once and funding is not yet available.

18. What is the target device to transfer?

The project will develop an asynchronous Geiger mode receiver with a 32x32 format.

19. Who is the performer for the DARPA effort?

That BAA came out April 2018. Won’t know until after their contract(s) is awarded. Please contact the contracting representatives at DARPA for this information. The email listed for this BAA is HR001118S0032@darpa.mil.

Questions During the Tours:

20. Is there space and equipment for calibration and checking of articles made in the machine shop?

Yes

21. Are their capitalization plans to acquire new equipment?

New equipment is purchased as needed

22. Can we learn about the provisions of the current ALTAR contract?

To obtain the details such as terms and conditions of the current ALTAR contract, you have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request. We can only answer who the awardee is and what the value of the contract is.

23. How many years was ALTER?

7 years. It was more hardware centric but we are shifting to more software. This contract will help us to evolve.

24. Is there an inspection room? Ex. Gauge blocks

Our toolmakers have and use gauge blocks and do all inspections in-house.

25. Is there a small business requirement for LIDAR?

No requirement, but teaming with small businesses is encouraged. In particular, prime/sub relationship is anticipated

26. What is the required maintenance on the lab?

Only set-up and teardown. The base will handle things like the cleaning of the mirrors and inspections.

27. What is the optical Bench Level?

We go from brassboard or bench level systems to field/tower testing to include flight testing, and occasionally higher level integration.

28. Does testing go from here to packaging, to tower and then to flight test?

We are set up to test component level or brassboard level configurations in the laboratory, to include tower and ground testing. Higher TRL level projects are normally contracted separately, and we will participate within their flight testing to collect data to support evaluation of those projects.

29. How much competition for tower testing?

Competition is essentially amongst the projects in the branch with some competition amongst other EO/IR activities. We control/coordinate access to our local range and activities there.

30. Are we looking at liquid crystal steering on transmitter and/or receiver?

Yes, we have a history in beamsteering using liquid crystal technology.

31. Utilizing liquid crystal technology, to scale this system up to long range, are you worried about damage?

It scales to long range LIDAR, but would require further development for offensive high energy lasers.

32. What magnitudes of deflection are we looking to achieve with our LC steering work?

15 degrees from a single stage.

33. How fast can the LC devices switch?

On the order of 10s of ms.

34. F number of Collimator?

100 inch diameter, F/6. Different values can be achieved based on configuration.

35. What vehicles (mobile labs) are available?

Vehicles are owned by either RYM or the 88th and they will handle inspections. They are:

International truck – not roadworthy for travel off base. Usually driven down the hill and back. No special licenses needed other than a base driver’s license.

Freightliner – Can be driven offsite. Lab in back with a lift gate. It requires a CDL-B.

Humvee – Test Vehicle – Serves as target, no special license other than a base driver’s license required.

F-650 pulling the GeoLab I/II – Requires a CDL-A license

36. How many CDL licensed drives are available?

Currently we have 3. We would expect you to propose whatever number you feel is appropriate.

Final Questions:

37. Will we be working over Christmas on the RFP?

No; the Broad Agency Annoucement (BAA) is anticipated to be out late January. The proposals will be due 45 days from release, therefore they are anticipated to be due in March.

38. How much of LIDAR is other-than-science, such as the machine shop, CDL drivers, etc.?

Under the current contract, < 10% of all time is devoted to machine shop, logistics, mobile laboratory management, etc., while > 90% is spent performing scientific research.

39. Does RYMM have interest in long wave (LWIR)?

Yes.

40. Does the incumbent contractor have algorithm expertise?

We have shifted toward a more software-driven approach. Our need for computer science expertise has grown and the contract is flexible in that regard.

Computer science is different from signal processing expertise. We need signal processing expertise, as well as architecture and design principles expertise.

41. How much R&D is/can be done offsite vs onsite? What is the expectation?

Current contractor is primarily located in-house here, and sometimes they pass work out to their own offsite folks or subcontractors. It can be a cost savings to the contractor to perform work on base. As an example, his can result in a much lower overhead rate because things like utilites and rent are eliminated.

42. Does RYMM transition technology out?

We can and have in the past. 3DTO given as an example of what we pass out of the branch.

Example: LITENING pod application written here and transitioned to Northrop Grumman

43. What is the approximate date of the start of performance on LIDAR?

July 2019