RFI-SWO-SOLAR-B-PCI-May2026.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Title: Request for Information - Space Weather Next Program - Partner Contributed Instrument (PCI) Capabilities for the Space Weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness (SOLAR)-B Mission

Date of Original Posting: May 26th, 2026

RFI Responses Due by: June 21, 2026, 11:59 PM ET

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Purpose of this RFI

This RFI is issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to request information from all sources (including government entities, commercial firms, and non-profit organizations) with the capability to offer a Partner Contributed Instrument (PCI) to be hosted aboard the NOAA Space Weather Next Program's SOLAR-B mission. NOAA may host one PCI that best complements the SOLAR-B mission's primary observations, demonstrates a compelling Research to Operations (R2O) case for advancing space weather observation, adheres to the specified size, weight, and power limits, meets the project schedule, is technically feasible and compatible with the SOLAR-B spacecraft within the specified "do no harm" requirements, and is supported by a robust financial and programmatic commitment from the submitting organization. Organizations that intend to or are likely to provide a PCI are invited to respond to this RFI.

1.2 The NOAA Space Weather Next Program and SOLAR-B Mission Overview

Space weather refers to those conditions in the space environment that may be damaging to technological systems deployed in space or on the ground and to humans in space. The NOAA Space Weather Observations (SWO) office vision is "a space weather ready nation," with a mission to “provide trusted space weather observations to safeguard society." This vision and mission are directly responsive to the legislative mandate of the Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act of 2020. Specifically, the PROSWIFT Act mandates that NOAA shall "support competitive, peer-reviewed proposals for [..] monitoring of space weather and its impacts" and shall facilitate "research to operations and operations to research." NOAA is implementing this mission through the SWO Space Weather Next (SW Next) Program with acquisition assistance from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

The SW Next Program's goal is to provide critical data to its primary customer, the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) to support its mission of ”safeguarding society with actionable space weather information.” The Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness (SOLAR) project ensures continuous, high availability, and low latency space weather observations from the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1). These measurements of the space environment and the Sun's outer atmosphere (corona) are critical for accurate space weather forecasts. The SOLAR project maintains observational continuity of real-time solar imagery and solar wind measurements (plasma properties and magnetic field), building upon capabilities from legacy missions like SOHO and DSCOVR, and the follow-on SWFO-L1 (now designated SOLAR-1). The SOLAR-A observatory is planned to launch in fiscal year 2030, to provide an operational overlap and cross-calibration with SOLAR-1 and to ensure continuity and resiliency of these measurements. A PCI for SOLAR-A has already been selected. This RFI concerns the SOLAR-B observatory, which is the second launch of the SOLAR project and will occur a few years after SOLAR-A. SOLAR-B's primary purpose is operational resiliency. It will extend measurement continuity, provide on-orbit redundancy and maximize the longevity of NOAA’s SOLAR observing constellation. SOLAR-B will be designed for five years of operation and will carry propellant for a possible additional five years of extended operations. The PCI for SOLAR-B represents a "next generation" opportunity, building upon the continuity established by SOLAR-A and SOLAR-1, and offering advanced capabilities to further NOAA's research to operations space weather goals.

1.3 Nature of this Notice and NOAA's Contribution

This Notice is NOT a solicitation for acquisition; rather, it is a Request for Information (RFI) and for Expressions of Interest. NOAA will NOT provide funding to respondents for instrument development, associated science support ground systems, or additional operational support beyond what is explicitly stated below. All costs related to the PCI, including its design, development, manufacturing, pre-integration testing, definition of operational procedures, science algorithm development, and sustained science and engineering support throughout the mission lifecycle, are the sole responsibility of the submitting organization. In exchange for the partner's contribution of the instrument and associated support, NOAA offers the unique opportunity to have the selected PCI hosted on the operational SOLAR-B mission at the L1 Lagrange point. This provides unparalleled access to space and facilitates data dissemination.

The PCI is expected to complement NOAA's high-priority space weather observations and research to operations goals. A fundamental condition of this opportunity is that the PCI must adhere to a strict "do no harm" principle, ensuring no adverse impact on the primary SOLAR-B mission and its core objectives. NOAA's specific contributions to the selected PCI will include:

integration onto the spacecraft, launch services, and routine mission operations, including instrument commanding, data downlink and routine data processing using partner-provided stable algorithms.

1.4 Note on Export-Controlled Information

Due to U.S. export control regulations, detailed Interface Control Documents (ICDs) or Computer Aided Design (CAD) models for the SOLAR-B spacecraft PCI interface cannot be released at this stage. These documents will be made available to the PCI partner under appropriate non-disclosure agreements and export control review, if and when appropriate.

Responses must address compatibility based on the high-level requirements provided in this Notice and the accompanying Hosted Payload Requirements Document (HPRD) provided as a link within this Notice.

1.5 Roles and Responsibilities in the Partnership

1.5.1 NOAA's Responsibilities

NOAA, as the mission host, will provide the SOLAR-B spacecraft platform, facilitate spacecraft integration of the PCI, provide launch services, and manage routine mission operations including data downlink and initial processing using partner-provided stable algorithms.

1.5.2 Partner's Responsibilities

The PCI provider will be responsible for the full lifecycle of the instrument prior to spacecraft integration. This includes: instrument design, development, manufacturing, and all associated testing up to pre-integration tests. The PCI partner must perform pre-integration tests, actively participate in spacecraft integration, participate in post-integration tests, provide clear procedures for instrument operation, participate in early orbit commissioning activities and support post-launch instrument troubleshooting when necessary. The partner must also support routine science data processing by provision of stable data processing algorithms and updating data production code as necessary.

1.6 Disclaimer and Legal Notices

This RFI does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that NOAA will enter into any agreement or contract. The submission of a response does not obligate the Government in any way, responses will not be reimbursed, and the Government reserves the right to cancel this notice at any time. Any material received will be treated as public domain unless clearly marked (on each page) as proprietary.

2.0 SOLAR-B Partner Contributed Instrument (PCI) Requirements and Details

This section outlines the specific requirements and considerations for any PCI intended for the NOAA SOLAR-B mission. Responses must demonstrate a thorough understanding of these requirements and present a PCI concept that aligns with them, ensuring seamless integration and operation without compromising the primary mission.

2.1 Partner Contribution to NOAA's Space Weather Goals

Expressions of Interest shall briefly describe the scientific measurements or operational capabilities of the PCI, how this instrument could complement planned SOLAR-B observations, and how the resulting data and research would advance the state of space weather observation.

The PCI is considered an enhancement to the SOLAR-B mission, but it is not a critical path element for the success of the primary SOLAR-B mission objectives.

2.2 SOLAR-B Mission Context and L1 Orbit

The SOLAR-B mission is designed to operate about the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1), a gravitationally stable location approximately 1.5 million kilometers towards the Sun from Earth.

This unique vantage point provides an unobstructed view of the Sun and the continuous monitoring of the solar wind environment before it reaches Earth. The L1 environment presents specific challenges and opportunities, including continuous solar illumination, exposure to the solar wind, and a specific radiation environment. PCIs must be robustly designed for long-duration operation within this space environment.

2.3 Schedule Imperatives for PCI Delivery

The SOLAR-B mission operates under a "launch when needed" procurement model, designed to ensure continuous space weather observations. While the notional launch date for the SOLAR-B observatory is 2034, the observatory's construction, integration, and readiness for storage are on a significantly accelerated timeline. The primary spacecraft and instrument vendors are building SOLAR-B in close succession to SOLAR-A. A critical implication of this approach is that the full integration of a PCI into the SOLAR-B observatory must occur well in advance of the nominal launch date, to allow for the integrated observatory to enter storage.

This necessitates a highly compressed schedule for PCI development and integration. The date for a delivered PCI is projected to be June 2029. PCIs that minimize development time, leverage existing flight-proven designs, or are "off-the-shelf" with minimal modification will be strongly preferred.

2.4 Anticipated Technical and Performance Parameters for PCI

The PCIs must adhere to the technical and interface requirements specified in the HPRD, which is provided as a link within this Notice and serves as the governing technical specification for the interface. Key parameters, critical for ensuring compatibility and upholding the "do no harm" principle, include but are not limited to:

● Volume: The volume envelope for the PCI, inclusive of all mounts, thermal blankets, and PCI connector halves, and thermal isolating legs, shall not exceed 30.0 cm (ZXBRF) x

30.0 cm (YXBRF) x 20.0 cm (XXBRF).

● Mass: The mass of the PCI, including thermal blankets, shall not exceed 13 kg.

● Power: The PCI operational mode power, for all buses, and including operational heater power, shall be no more than 11 Watts. Survival power shall be no more than 5.5 Watts.

The spacecraft will supply a DC voltage ranging from +26 to +34 VDC.

● Data Rate: The maximum data rate for the PCI, including all overhead associated with CCSDS packetization for science, engineering, and housekeeping data, shall not exceed 30 kilobits per second (kbps).

● Operational Lifetime: The PCI has no lifetime requirement; however, the SOLAR-B mission has a five-year design life, with fuel potential for five years extended operations.

3.0 Information Requested and Response Guidelines

3.1 Content of Expression of Interest

Expressions of Interest should concisely outline the PCI concept, describing how it complements NOAA's SOLAR observations and adheres to specified interface parameters. The response should also attest to the partner organization's potential commitment to this collaboration.

3.2 Response Format and Submission Details

● Page Limit: Maximum two (2) pages, excluding any cover letter.

● Format: The complete response must be submitted as a single, searchable Portable

Document Format (PDF) file.

● Font: Use a minimum 12-point font for body text. Tables and figures may use a minimum

10-point font, provided they remain clearly legible.

● Naming Convention: The file should be named using the following convention:

SWO_SOLARB_PCI_EOI - [OrganizationName].pdf.

● Submission Method: All responses must be submitted electronically via email to:

Maryann.Orellana@noaa.gov.

● Subject Line: The email subject line must be: RFI-SWO-SOLAR-B-PCI - [Organization

Name].

RFI Responses and Capability Statements should include an Appendix with only the following information (not included in page count):

● Business information including: Company name, address, DUNS number, and CAGE Code; Point of contact with email and phone number; and any current Small Business Administration small business designations.

● Projected costs and associated business models, including the degree of government commitment required and the extent of non-government markets for the services.

● Business risks to the proposed approach and the means for mitigating those risks.

● Cost models and contractual arrangements for proposed services (i.e., FAR-based contract, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, grant, cooperative agreement, and/or Other Transaction Agreement).

3.3 Questions Regarding this RFI

All questions pertaining to this RFI must be submitted in writing via email to Maryann.Orellana@noaa.gov no later than June 9, 2:00 PM ET with the email Subject Line:

RFI-SWO-SOLAR-B-PCI. Questions received after this date may not be answered. Questions should be concise and avoid proprietary information.

Responses to Questions: Answers to all submitted questions, deemed relevant and non-proprietary, will be compiled and posted publicly under this notice as an attachment.

Individual responses to questions will not be provided. Submitting organizations are responsible for checking the designated website for updates.

3.4 Use of Information Received

This RFI does not guarantee that the Government will select a PCI, issue a request for proposal (RFP), or award an agreement or contract for supplies or services. No specific RFP is planned to follow this RFI; however, the responses could impact the Government’s decision to release multiple RFPs in the future.

Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable government regulations. Any material received will be considered to be public domain unless clearly marked (on each page) as proprietary. The Government must not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified. Not responding to this RFI will not preclude an entity from submitting a proposal to any subsequent NOAA solicitations.

Submitting organizations are hereby notified that as part of this process, NOAA may share the information obtained from this market research with other US Government agencies.

4.0 Feedback to RFI Respondents

NOAA intends to provide individualized feedback to all organizations submitting a timely Expression of Interest. This feedback will offer NOAA's preliminary assessment regarding the alignment of the proposed concept with the SOLAR-B mission needs and technical constraints.

This feedback does not constitute a commitment or guarantee of selection.

5.0 Point of Contact

For any questions regarding this RFI, please contact: Maryann.Orellana@noaa.gov

6.0 Attachments

● SOLAR Partner Contributed Instrument Hosted Payload Requirements Document SOLAR-PCI-REQ-0047, current revision