SATPC0039975 Tab 06 RDSS..pdf

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

OR BRAND NAME

PICK ONE

Sole Source:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with University of Maine, Advanced Structures and Composites Center only for Large Scale Torus Strap Indentation Testing – Series 4. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is 100 calendar days after award.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with only with vendors who can provide the subject band name of Manufacture Name for Enter Supply or Service to be procured. The total estimated cost of this effort is Enter Dollar Amount and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is Date.

This recommendation is for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source/only one manufacture. Competition is impractical for the following reasons (please answer the questions below):

1. What are the reasons for soliciting only the suggested source/suggested brand name? Please provide the unique characteristics of the items or services along with the supporting rationale and the market research performed to substantiate your reason for the suggested source/brand name.

Over the past fifteen years, Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology has been developed by NASA Langley Research Center which requires structural component testing and analysis to demonstrate performance and correlate to structural models. HIAD technology is based on cutting edge application of soft good materials that must meet extreme conditions for thermal and structural environments during atmospheric reentry flight. This effort is for strap indentation testing of an inflatable torus which is needed to demonstrate the load carrying capacity of the torus design for the Vulcan Engine Recovery (VERA) project led by NASA Langley Research Center. VERA is developing a 10m HIAD under a Space Act Agreement with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) for delivery of a pathfinding unit, engineering development unit and a flight unit. The methods to analyze and test the materials, components, and assemblies have been uniquely developed for the high-performance material characteristics and complex set of performance requirements. The University of Maine Advance Structures and Composite Center (UMaine ASCC) has been a key contributor to developing HIAD structural analysis techniques and performing tests that are correlated to inflatable structure response models. UMaine ASCC was awarded an Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR) grant from NASA in 2013 to advance understanding of load-deformation behavior of HIAD inflatable structures. Under this grant effort, completed in 2017, UMaine ASCC conducted material, inflatable beams, and inflatable torus load tests to characterize response and used this data to develop complete finite element models to analyze and predict HIAD structural load response. From 2019 to 2022, UMaine ASCC continued the inflatable structure testing and analysis under another NASA grant.

Under this grant, UMaine ASCC further advanced HIAD analysis and performance predictive capabilities through structural testing of single and paired inflatable tori with model correlations. Most recently last year and this year UMaine has performed both hydrostatic burst testing of the VERA torus design to verify pressure capacity and associated safety factors and three initial rounds of strap indentation testing of the VERA torus design to understand load carrying capacity. UMaine ASCC is a world-leading center for research and development of material sciences, advanced manufacturing, and

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 engineering of composites and structures and is supported by a highly experienced staff and uniquely equipped facilities. The lab includes extensive instrumentation capabilities, high speed video cameras, and data acquisition equipment. UMaine ASCC has extensive related experience with the unique HIAD material properties, design, modeling, analysis and testing that can be directly applied to strap indentation testing of a HIAD inflatable torus.

2. What is the impact to the government if another vendor/brand is used? Include any dollar, schedule, or compatibility impacts0020c if possible.

Under this effort NASA will provide inflatable torus articles to be tested as Government Furnished Property. The test torus articles have very similar construction and features as torus articles that have been previously tested by UMaine ASCC in the first, second, and third rounds of strap indentation testing. Strap indentation testing is a key test to demonstrate the load carrying capacity of the torus structure for the VERA project and needs to be completed on schedule to meet ULA schedule requirements. The strap indentation test series 4 is on the project schedule critical path and leads to the fabrication of the 10m diameter HIAD aeroshell assembly pathfinding unit and is followed by the engineering development unit and flight unit. Any schedule delays for torus testing will impact the VERA schedule and delivery to ULA of the HIAD units. To conduct the strap indentation testing on schedule and efficiently, a provider with combined inflatable structures experience and readily available test capabilities is needed. Any vendor, other than UMaine ASCC, would not have the combined relevant experience with inflatables, testing capabilities, and measurement equipment to conduct the strap indentation tests in a timely and cost-effective manner. This assertion is supported by the fact that during the history of prior NASA HIAD testing performed in collaboration with UMaine ASCC, NASA invested in test hardware that is now a part of the UMaine ASCC facilities that will be used for the strap indentation testing. With an alternate vendor, there is increased project risk for schedule delays and cost increases. Since the torus tests are on the critical path, any delays associated with the strap indentation tests will result in a flow-down of delays in follow-on tests and fabrication activities. Delays in schedule will result in cost increases as NASA and NASA contractor schedules are impacted. A delay, even for a few weeks, due to a vendor needing more time to prepare test facilities, acquire instrumentation or test equipment, or any delay for setup and conducting the tests will result in additional project costs that may be much greater than the current cost estimate. Overall, the impact for not having UMaine ASCC conduct the strap indentation tests is a high likelihood for schedule delays and cost impacts for the VERA project that are significant and impact subsequent milestones and requirements.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

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