RocketLab_SOW_v1.pdf

Naval Research Laboratory

4555 Overlook Avenue SW

Washington DC, 20375-5329

Code 7680

Rocket Lab Vacuum System Upgrade (RLVSU)

Statement of Work

19 September, 2021

STATEMENT OF WORK

Rocket Lab Vacuum System Upgrade (RLVSU)

Table of Contents 1 Background

2 Scope

3 Applicable Documents

4 Requirements

4.1 General

4.2 Task Description

4.2.1 Custom Chamber Design

4.2.2 RLVSU Hardware Procurement and Fabrication

4.2.3 RLVSU System Installation

4.2.4 RLVSU Testing

5 Schedule

6 Deliverables

7 Acronyms

Appendix A. Vacuum System Detailed Specification

1 BACKGROUND

The U. S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) conducts research in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, solar terrestrial physics and atmospheric science. In order to carry out space science investigations, instrument design, fabrication, integration, and testing are needed. The NRL Solar

Physics Branch (Code 7680) uses its Rocket Lab Calibration Chamber (RLCC) to test and calibrate space-flight instruments and experiments developed for sponsors including NRL and NASA. The

RLCC facility simulates extreme ultraviolet (EUV) solar illumination as it would be detected by space-flight instrumentation under vacuum, allowing the experiments to be tested and calibrated in an environment as close to space as possible in a laboratory. The effort described in this SOW is an improved high-vacuum system for the RLCC.

The RLCC has been used for the alignment and calibration of a variety of missions. Most recently, the VERIS, VAULT III sounding rockets and the UVSC, to fly in geostationary orbit, were focused and calibrated in this chamber. The chamber has also been used to quickly test equipment that needs the EUV light sources that interface to this chamber, and for the baking out of very large components that do not fit in other SSD facilities. The chamber has a volume of 1500L, and is within an ISO 6 level cleanroom for instrument AI&T and transitioning directly into the vacuum chamber. Two different collimator chambers interface to the chamber, depending on the wavelengths being used for the experiment. One collimator has a volume of 500L, and the other

1000L. Thus, at any given time, the volume being pumped is either 2000L or 2500L.

Currently, the RLCC is pumped with two CTI Cryo-Torr 8 cryogenic pumps, backed up with two

Agilent TriScroll 600 dry scroll pumps. The cryo pumps interface to the chamber via DN200CF flanges. While the existing Cryo-Torr 8 pumps are in good operating condition, the compressors running them are quickly aging out. During chamber operation, there is no active gas load, but the instruments are complex and generally off-gas water vapor, despite being precision cleaned for use in the EUV. This makes current pump-down times over 24 hours, especially at first pump-down and when the chamber has been opened to the clean room ambient for instrument adjustments. Repeated instrument adjustments thus add several days to what are often compressed schedules.

The rocket lab vacuum system upgrade (RLVSU) effort described in this SOW seeks a vacuum system upgrade that will reduce the pumping times to a vacuum pressure of 10-5

Torr to within 8 hours, install upgraded vacuum-pumping equipment including new compressors that run all cryogenic pumps, and centralization of the vacuum system status and control.

2 SCOPE

The program includes the following hardware deliverables:

1. An additional cryogenic pump with water pumping speed 9500L/s. This will require custom work for the interface

2. Dry roughing pump(s) that supports the volume.

3. New vacuum gauges/transducers.

4. Centralization of the vacuum system housekeeping and control

3 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The following documents form a part of this Statement of Work (SOW) for the convenience of reference. In the event of conflict between the documents referenced herein and the contents of this SOW, the contents of this SOW shall take precedence.

NPR 7120.5D: NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements

MIL-STD-1246B: Product Cleanliness Levels Contamination Control Program

ASTM E595: Standard Test Method for Total Mass Loss and Collected Volatile

Condensable Materials from Outgassing in a Vacuum Environment

4 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 General

The Contractor shall supply the necessary skills, resources, engineering services, and documentation to implement the desired RLVSU for the NRL Code 7680 RLCC facility. The

Contractor shall follow a quality assurance program that is equivalent to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9000. The Contractor may tailor these requirements and guidelines to meet equivalent standards with NRL review and approval. The Contractor shall provide bi-weekly status meetings as required. In addition, the Contractor shall provide monthly written technical and programmatic progress reports. These meetings and reviews will be held by teleconference or at the Contractor’s site.

The Contractor shall fully implement the RLVSU. The Contractor shall identify a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component and implement custom designs as needed for interfaces, for a vacuum system that meets the performance requirements defined in Appendix A. A documentation package will accompany the RLVSU and shall include electrical and mechanical interface control drawings, verification test data, operations manuals, and materials list with certifications, if applicable. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal interfaces between the vacuum hardware and the RLCC facility shall be proposed by the Contractor. NRL will review and approve the interface design documents.

4.2 Task Description

Each task listed below represents a specific phase in the RLVSU implementation in the RLCC facility. These phases occur in roughly chronological sequence with some tasks running concurrently. For each task, the Contractor shall not start incurring cost without a written authorization (email, mail or fax) authorization to proceed from NRL. The tasks are described below.

4.2.1 Custom Chamber Design

The Contractor shall identify a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component and implement custom designs as needed for interfaces, for a vacuum system that meets the performance requirements defined in Appendix A. The Contractor shall provide the engineering services required to interface the proposed RLVSU to the existing RLCC facility.

The Contractor shall present NRL with a bill of materials (BOM) required to implement the

RLVSU system in the RLCC facility. NRL will review and approve the BOM prior to proceeding with any procurements in Task 4.2.2.

The Contractor shall support the following meetings and reviews:

Kick-off meeting to review the system requirements and implementation schedule.

Bi-weekly status teleconference at a pre-determined time, as required.

Design review when the Contractor shall propose their RLVSU design and demonstrate that it meets the system requirements defined in Appendix A. NRL will authorize procurement and fabrication of RLVSU hardware after the successful completion of this review.

4.2.2 RLVSU Hardware Procurement and Fabrication

It is anticipated that several components will be procured (new) to add capability or replace existing hardware with upgraded capability. These procurements are to be identified in a Bill of

Materials (BOM). Custom components designed in Task 1 (section 4.2.1) will be fabricated and tested to meet requirements.

4.2.3 RLVSU System Installation

Following delivery of all components and subsystems to customer site, the contractor will assemble sub-systems in preparation for installation of customer provided services (cooling waterand electrical service). The contractor shall not be required to interface with NRL electrical and water services, but will provide detailed descriptions of the services needed. Contractor will complete installation of contractor designed and fabricated sub-assemblies (control panel).

The Contractor shall provide NRL with written procedures and/or work orders for RLVSU hardware installation. These shall be reviewed and approved by NRL prior to installation of any hardware. The Contractor shall also document the installation of the RLVSU with photographs.

RLVSU installation documentation shall be provided to NRL.

4.2.4 RLVSU Testing

The Contractor shall test the final installed system for functionality, and to verify performance.

hardware. The Contractor shall support the following meetings and reviews:

Walk-through inspection of the RLVSU hardware following installation.

5 SCHEDULE

The period of performance for implementation of the RLVSU in the RLCC facility is estimated to be fifteen (15) months following contract award. A summary of expected RLVSU development milestones is given below.

Milestone 1 Kick-Off Meeting. Within 30 days after contract award.

Milestone 2 RLVSU system design review. Two months after contract award.

Milestone 3 Initiate long-lead procurements. Six weeks after contract award with NRL approval.

Milestone 4 Start remaining procurements. One week after Milestone 2 with RLVSU approval.

Milestone 5 Acceptance reviews of RLVSU hardware. One week after hardware delivery to NRL.

Milestone 6 Installation of RLVSU hardware into RLCC facility. Beigns seven months after contract award

Milestone 7 Complete verification testing of RLVSU system. Less than one month after

Milestone 6.

6 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall deliver the following for the NRL Code 7680 RLCC RLVSU:

1. Additional cryogenic pumps

2. New cyogenic compressors to support existing and new pumps

3. New vacuum gauges or transducers to verify pressures and pumping rates

4. Central Control Panel

5. Acceptance Data Package (EIDP) for RLVSU hardware.

a) RLVSU hardware operations manual.

7 ACRONYMS

COTS Commercial Off-the-Shelf

EIDP End-Item Data Package

ISO International Organization for Standardization

NRL Naval Research Laboratory

RLCC Rocket Lab Calibration Chamber

RLVSU Rocket Lab Vacuum System Upgrade

Appendix A. VACUUM SYSTEM DETAILED SPECIFICATION

The performance requirements of the upgraded vacuum system for the RLCC tank derive from the characteristics of the experiments conducted within it.

Reduce the pumping times to a vacuum pressure of 10-5 Torr to within 8 hours, An additional cryogenic pump with water pumping speed 9500L/s. This may require custom work for the interface

New compressors that run existing and new cryogenic pumps

New dry roughing pump(s) that supports the volume.

New vacuum gauges/transducers.

Centralization of the vacuum system housekeeping and control