RFI-LSSMS-V14.docx

Lunar Surface Science Mobility System (LSSMS-1) NNH20ZDA004L RFI

Release: February 5, 2020 Close (Due Date): March 6, 2020

Summary Consistent with Forward to the Moon: NASA’s Strategic Plan for Human Exploration and Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022, NASA is soliciting input to assist the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate in planning the development of a sustainable, uncrewed, mobility capability for lunar surface science. This Request for Information (RFI), solicitation number NNH20ZDA004L, entitled “RFI for Lunar Surface Science Mobility System (LSSMS-1)”, seeks information from U. S. private sector commercial organizations and organizations which may become, or spin-off, commercial organizations on concepts and rough order of magnitude (ROM) costs for robotic, uncrewed lunar surface science mobility systems to transport and operate scientific/exploration instruments and technology demonstration payloads on future NASA missions. As an explicit emphasis of this RFI, NASA seeks to encourage participation not only from traditional aerospace communities, but specifically from organizations that do not typically engage in aerospace missions and activities but who are interested in exploring the possibility of adapting their terrestrial, aeronautical, or oceanographic technologies for space use. NASA recognizes the potential value of leveraging the technologies and approaches from providers of mobility or robotic systems originally designed for law enforcement, military, commercial, scientific, or recreational applications. NASA seeks innovative technologies, partners, and approaches to addressing lunar surface mobility needs.

Background NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Exploration office seeks to integrate, coordinate, and/or leverage opportunities across science, exploration, and technology communities to directly support NASA’s exploration goals. The SMD Exploration office also seeks to provide robotic capabilities and foster development of commercial services to support the Artemis objectives, as well as those of the constituent SMD, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), and Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). One needed robotic capability is that of a Lunar Surface Science Mobility System (LSSMS) with the ability to carry NASA science, technology, and exploration payloads across the surface of the Moon while providing the operational services needed by those payloads (e.g., power, data, environmental controls, etc.)

This RFI is one of two related to lunar mobility that is being released by NASA in a coordinated approach to explore the lunar surface, to perform new science investigations, and to use the missions to test out systems for further exploration and scientific investigation of the solar system.

The other RFI, Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Request for Information, RFI Number: NNH20ZCQ001L, is simultaneously released by HEOMD with an emphasis on the development of a safe and reliable lunar rover to extend the exploration range of suited crewmembers while engaging in Extravehicular Activities (EVA) on the surface of the Moon. The LTV’s purpose is primarily driven by the need to extend exploration by suited crewmembers, and would provide benefits to science investigations and technology demonstrations in a collateral or opportunistic capability (e.g. sharing of power, data, or communication resources, instrument-mounting footprints).

As SMD is partnered with HEOMD in achieving NASA’s objectives embodied by the Artemis program, this RFI is distinctly different yet complementary to the HEOMD RFI. The emphasis of this RFI is for mobility systems that are geared toward uncrewed scientific and exploration investigations and technology demonstrations, more so than large scale mobility as part of the human exploration infrastructure. Additionally, to foster innovation, non-traditional approaches, and rapid deployment to the lunar surface, NASA accepts additional risk, which precludes these systems from immediate use in critical support of crewed systems and missions, at least until otherwise demonstrating sufficient reliability at a later time.

For example, this RFI seeks systems that are more apt to:

· Transport scientific samples to a collection point (1’s to 100’s of kilograms)

· Transport and operate a suite of scientific instruments (10’s to 100’s of kilograms)

· Transport and operate technology demonstrations (10’s to low-1000’s of kilograms)

· Transport exploration tools that are enhancing, redundant, otherwise non-critical, or crew-deployed science experiments (10’s to low-1000’s of kilograms)

· As a secondary benefit, transport of any exploration commodity, material or equipment that is supplemental, enhancing, or otherwise non-critical to a crewed mission. (10’s to low-1000’s of kilograms) This RFI is not seeking mobility systems that would be more appropriate to:

· Transport large exploration elements such as habitats or outposts

· Perform excavation, mining, and construction activities

· Transport large quantities of bulk materials or resources

· Transport crew or crewed elements

· Transport any item or element that itself is critical to crewed mission success or to the health and safety of crew NASA is hosting a virtual industry day to introduce both the HEO LTV RFI and the SMD LSSMS-1 RFI. Representatives of both SMD and HEO will describe the respective RFI’s and answer questions of interested respondents. It is valuable to note that the interested communities of both classes of mobility systems are invited to attend, and the event offers a unique opportunity for respondents to be made aware of participants in both the aerospace and robotics communities, so they may potentially form new partnerships in advancing both sets of mobility objectives. While the industry day is a joint activity, respondents are advised that responses to each RFI must follow the specific instructions of that RFI. Responses to each RFI shall be stand-alone, and not rely on other responses to either RFI for context or reference.

The date for the virtual web event is February 12, 2020 at 11:00 am EST.

Connection details follow:

WebEx (required to view presentation charts):

https://nasaenterprise.webex.com/nasaenterprise/j.php?MTID=mc6480b0fedb5339e1704e6f6d1502bbe Meeting number: 902 861 803 Meeting Passcode: February12@11E Teleconference Number (required for audio – do not use WebEx audio):

Dial: 888-566-6142 Passcode: NASALTV For any updates regarding the Web Event, Respondents are advised to monitor www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-to-industry-send-ideas-for-lunar-rovers

NASA does not wish to be overly prescriptive regarding the utility of candidate science mobility systems on the lunar surface; however, NASA does seek information for systems that would have, or would enable, some productive function. Respondents are reminded this is not a competition, comparison, or procurement action, but to inform planning with what capabilities may be available. To assist potential respondents, the following features and characteristics are generally deemed valuable, but this list should not be interpreted as a set of requirements, nor should it be seen as complete. Value depends strongly on specific intended use and may not embody a typical performance metric.

In general, the following characteristics are considered valuable:

· Payload accommodation (e.g. mass, volume, power, data, commanding, communications, etc.)

· Survivability and/or operation during lunar night and in permanently shadowed regions.

· Ability to traverse varied terrains, obstacles, slopes, pits, soft regolith, etc., and to do so over long distances (i.e., 10’s to 100’s of kilometers).

· Deployable and useable globally (i.e., polar and non-polar, near-side and far-side)

· Autonomous operation (e.g. navigation, hazard identification, hazard avoidance, re-routing, mapping, homing, safing, swarming, etc.). Note that while autonomy is a valuable characteristic in general, systems that are teleoperated from earth or by nearby astronauts have utility as well.

· Availability and affordability (e.g. Short development time, short production time, low-production cost) NASA recognizes that non-traditional respondents may not have an intimate knowledge of the lunar environments. NASA encourages respondents to provide information for mobility systems that the respondent feels could be viable and that they would potentially be interested in developing or adapting from other system designs.

NASA seeks input of both traditional planetary mobility approaches as well as non-traditional approaches such as those that leverage state-of-the-art advancements in robotics, autonomous vehicles, uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), tele-operated or remotely-operated vehicles (ROV), ruggedized robotic vehicle systems or systems that employ self-driving technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Non-traditional innovations may also include alternate approaches to acquisition, monitoring, or design & construction standards (such as IP68 or greater).

NASA will use responses to aid in programmatic, architectural, and acquisition approach decisions to establish a sustainable capability for lunar surface science mobility. It is emphasized that this RFI is neither a Request for Proposal, nor an Invitation for Bid. This RFI is being used to obtain information for planning purposes only; therefore, NASA does not plan to respond to the individual RFI responses. As stipulated in FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Pursuant to FAR 52.215-3, entitled Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes, this information is being made available for market research, information, and planning purposes. This RFI is subject to review or cancellation at any time and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract. The Government will not pay for the information submitted in response to this request, and respondents will not be notified of the results

It is not NASA's intent to disclose publicly Respondents' proprietary information that is submitted to this RFI. To the fullest extent that it is protected pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and other laws and regulations, information identified by a Respondent as "Proprietary or Confidential" will be kept confidential.

Definitions

1. Lunar Surface Science Mobility System (LSSMS): A mobile platform or vehicle able to traverse the lunar surface and provide operational services to a payload.

2. Payload: Active and/or passive hardware individually, or in a suite, for the purposes of in situ investigations aligned with exploration and science objectives, and/or technology demonstration goals.

3. Payload Operational Services: The combined set of physical accommodations (pointing, field of view, etc.), utilities (e.g., power, commanding, data, etc.), and environmental controls (e.g., thermal, EMI/EMC, etc.) provided to a payload by its hosting platform to enable operation.

4. Payload Integration: The function of physically and functionally integrating a payload into the LSSMS. This includes development of necessary analysis, designs, and plans in advance of physical integration.

5. Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS): A project in the Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration (DAAX) that brokers, on a pay-for-service basis, access to the lunar surface. Respondents should assume that the LSSMS will be deployed onto the lunar surface via a CLPS lander and should, in their responses, identify at a conceptual level, the features and capability such a lander would need to have in order to facilitate egress from the lander. (E.g., ramp angle limits or step limits.)

Requested Response Topics The specific objective of this RFI is to seek information that will assist the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in the Science Mission Directorate in developing lunar surface science strategies. As NASA is requesting information across communities that may not have experience in aerospace technologies or systems, respondents are encouraged to provide information to the extent they can reasonably do so. Respondents are reminded that this is to inform planning of a lunar exploration science architecture with what may be possible, and it is not to form the basis of a competition. Characterizing the technical, cost and schedule factors, to the extent practical, helps NASA assess the possible viability and value of a technology toward a possible role in exploration science on the Moon.

For example, a company that provides small robots for law enforcement applications would not be expected to fully understand the scope needed to adapt their system for use on the Moon. However, such a company could describe the existing system to a reasonable detail (e.g., power source, run time, operational environments, etc.), describe the investment of time and resources that went into the system’s development, and provide estimates of production price and schedule of the commercial terrestrial system. If the system is not available yet, provide known estimates to get to your planned capability. NASA could use this information to help characterize the system’s potential benefit to exploration science and its viability of being adapted at a reasonable cost and development schedule. Estimates for aerospace adaptation are only valuable to NASA to the extent that respondents are comfortable providing them; it is permissible and preferred that respondents describe what they can reliably know or estimate.

Additionally, non-aerospace respondents are welcome to partner with other U. S. domestic organizations that may have the expertise and experience necessary to help adapt and qualify terrestrial, aeronautic, or oceanographic technologies for use on the lunar surface.

As is appropriate to provide, the specific types of information sought include, and is not limited to, the following:

A. Description of LSSMS capability that includes:

· An overview of the LSSMS concept and design including identification of any partnerships (with current levels of commitment), as well as any necessary additional systems needed for the LSSMS to function. (e.g., ground stations, orbiting assets, etc.) Additionally, please identify the types of design and construction standards you would prefer to use (e.g. MIL-STD, NASA, ANSI, ISO, Proprietary, etc.). Do not list the specific standards.

· A description of the current maturity of the LSSMS design and/or development, or (as applicable) the maturity of the terrestrial system upon which the LSSMS would be based, along with a description of the key adaptation challenges. Include any significant tests and demonstrations that have already occurred or are planned.

· To the degree it is practicable, descriptions of the deployed lunar-surface capability including payload accommodation, operational lifespan, darkness survival capability, surface speed and range.

B. To the degree practicable, a schedule that illustrates a credible path to the described LSSMS deployment on the lunar surface as early as reasonably achievable, including a description of uncertainties, challenges, and risks to that schedule. Describe any management, monitoring, or procurement innovations you would apply to accelerate schedule and reduce schedule risk. Schedule should include major activities and milestones including when payloads would need to be provided for integration to the LSSMS to make the intended deployment date.

C. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Cost information:

· To the degree practicable, relevant ROM cost information for the development of the described LSSMS with phasing and sufficient basis of estimate to convey the assumed scope. Describe any management, monitoring, or procurement innovations you would apply to reduce cost and cost risk. Respondents should recommend a contract type they feel would be the best value to the Government and ensure the objective schedule.

· Per unit production ROM costs for repeat builds. Respondents should assume that repeat builds may vary the provided payload within the initial capability, but otherwise the same design as the first. Respondents should assume repeat builds would be procured in a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract type.

To generate the above schedule and cost information, respondents should assume the following scope is included in providing the LSSMS. As stated earlier, it is permissible and preferred that respondents stay within the aspects that they know and understand and may use this scope as a guide. If cost and schedule information provided is based upon something other than the below, respondents are asked to describe the scope that was actually assumed:

Overall:

· Provide all necessary facilities and infrastructure to develop and deliver the LSSMS.

· Perform effective project management of resources, schedule, risks and opportunities against a baseline with appropriate management tools, reviews, and reporting

· Provide support to meet applicable legal, regulatory, and policy requirements.

Manage and perform all necessary tasks to design, manufacture, assemble, integrate and test the LSSMS described herein.

· Manage system requirements and their verifications.

· Hold appropriate design, integration, test, and delivery reviews.

· Support development of interface control documentation between the LSSMS and a lander.

· Support integration onto a lander including exchange of necessary models, analysis, data, and documentation.

Manage and perform the integration of NASA payload(s) onto/into the LSSMS including engineering and mission support:

· In coordination with NASA payload developers, develop and verify any necessary interface control documentation, environmental specifications, and analyses.

· Provide the necessary hardware, tooling, and procedures to achieve payload integration onto/into the LSSMS.

· Manage and perform the integration of payloads into the LSSMS and complete appropriate checkout activities.

Response Instructions NASA is offering two venues for respondents to submit replies: Email and the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). Responses that contain proprietary, EAR, ITAR, or other sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information shall be clearly marked accordingly and shall only be submitted via NSPIRES, or by encrypted email, or by encrypted file attachment to an email. Unrestricted responses may be sent be either email or NSPIRES at the discretion of the respondent. Responses shall not include Classified information regardless of transmission option.

All responses must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on the close date.

Each response shall not exceed 10 pages in length plus a one-page summary to facilitate a prompt review. This one-page summary includes responder’s organization, point of contact, contact information, past experience and readiness.

All responses to this RFI must be submitted in electronic form as a PDF-formatted document. All requested information should be included in the PDF document. Information which is included in any email or ancillary text, but not included in the PDF document, will not be considered.

Prepare your RFI response offline and save as a PDF document. The response document must include the respondent’s name, institution, and E-mail address so the file is self-contained.

File names format should be "[Company or Respondent Name – Ordinal Number - “RFI” – RFI Number]. The “Ordinal Number" will be used to distinguish multiple responses from the same company. Each individual response in a set of responses must meet all requirements of a single response without cross-referencing.

For Email Responses:

1. The email subject line should read: [“RFI” = RFI Number – “Response”].

2. The response PDF document shall be included as an attachment.

3. The email shall be sent to: hq-lunarmobilityrfi@mail.nasa.gov.

Please note: Once the RFI response email is received, it cannot be deleted.

For NSPIRES Responses:

The NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) is an online announcement data management system, located at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/. For this RFI, a response submission will use the NSPIRES Notice of Intent (NOI) feature. The RFI response will consist of the PDF document that is to be attached (uploaded) to NSPIRES.

You must be registered with and logged into NSPIRES to submit a response. See registration instructions at http://nspires.nasaprs.com (select "Create an account"). Individual responses are welcome; no institution registration nor an institution affiliation is required to respond to this RFI.

1. Log into your account at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/.

2. Select "Proposals/NOIs" from your account page.

3. Select "Create NOI" from your proposals page.

4. Click "Continue" on the next page.

5. Select "Request for Information: NNH20ZDA004L from the bulleted list of announcements.

6. Click "Continue."

7. Enter RFI response title ("NOI title" field will be shown).

8. Select "do not link at this time" for submitting organization page.

9. Click "Save" on next page.

10. It is not necessary to complete any of the "NOI Details"; all response information must be included in the attached PDF document. Information that is entered into "NOI Details" but not included in the attached PDF document will not be considered.

11. To attach (upload) your PDF document:

a. Click "add" under NOI attachments section;

b. Select "Proposal Document" from the drop-down list;

c. Browse to attach your PDF file;

d. Select "Upload";

e. Click "OK";

f. Your RFI document has been uploaded to NSPIRES.

12. Click "Submit NOI" button. NOTE that this does not complete the submission process.

13. Ignore any warnings about incomplete NOI elements. Ensure that your NOI document is attached and click "Continue."

14. Click "Submit." This will take you to the NOI submission confirmation page, which provides you with the NOI/RFI number for your records. This completes the submission process.

Please note: You may delete and replace form fields and uploaded documents any time before the submission deadline, however, once the RFI response is submitted, it cannot be deleted.

Points of Contact The below emails are not to be used for RFI response submissions; any submissions made via these email addresses will not be considered. Please email questions concerning this RFI no later than February 19, 2020 at 11:59pm EST, and specify in the subject line: “SMD LSSMS-1 RFI Question.” NASA intends to respond to received questions by February 24, 2020. Depending on the nature of received questions, NASA may respond on an individual respondent basis by email but may also post responses to inquiries as frequently asked questions and answers (FAQs) on this site. Any posted FAQs will be redacted to preserve the anonymity of persons and institutions who submit questions, and are intended to address inquiries of broader interest and general clarification.

Jay Jenkins, Science Mission Directorate Program Executive to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, jason.e.jenkins@nasa.gov.

Angela Melito, Science Mission Directorate Program Executive to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, angela.m.melito@nasa.gov

LSSMS-1 RFI-4