2024 Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) Mirror Assembly Development - Partnership Opportunity Document (POD)

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), as part of its core function of implementing future space science missions, seeks partnerships with industry to build an X-ray telescope for AXIS (Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite), a potential future astrophysics mission. This telescope consists of two major components: an X-ray mirror assembly (XMA) that focuses X-rays, and a detector system that records them. This POD pertains only to the building and testing of the mirror assembly.

AXIS was recently selected for a Phase A study through the Astrophysics Probe Explorer (APEX) solicitation NNH23ZDA021O (https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-establishes-new-class-of-astrophysics-missions-selects-studies/). More information on APEX can be found at https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/2023APPROBE/. More information on AXIS can be found at (https://axis.astro.umd.edu).

The principal advance that AXIS will make over current and prior X-ray observatories is that it will combine high angular resolution (1.5” at the optical axis) with a large effective collecting area. This requires new technology. The construction and performance of current and previous NASA X-ray telescopes shows that, for the purpose of mission design, X-ray mirror assemblies can be characterized with three key metrics: (1) angular resolution, (2) mass per mirror surface area, which is proportional to the effective area, and (3) production cost per mirror surface area.

Einstein’s (1979) and Chandra’s (1999) mirror assemblies were made by grinding and polishing thick substrates, achieving exquisite (<1”) angular resolution at the expense of mass and cost. NuSTAR (2012) and XRISM (2023) used replication technologies and segmented mirror assemblies, achieving moderate (>60”) angular resolution at very low mass and low cost.

AXIS baselines mirror technology currently under development by the Next Generation X-ray Optics team (NGXO) at GSFC to achieve high angular resolution at low mass and low cost per mirror surface area. NGXO mirrors achieve high angular resolution through modern direct-fabrication techniques (grinding and polishing). They achieve low mass by using single-crystal silicon material, whose lack of internal stress allows post-fabrication lightweighting by grinding the mirror backside. Finally, the mirrors achieve low cost per unit area by combining a hierarchical and modular mirror-assembly design with a fabrication method optimized for mass production.

The purpose of this POD is to select industry partner(s) with experience in the design, manufacture, assembly, test and delivery of precision optics to co-develop a manufacturable XMA architecture with the NASA AXIS team, including:

1) Participate in overall systems engineering for the XMA, including all aspects of the SE process, including XMA requirements development, validation planning and associated analysis, verification planning and associated test and facility specification and product transition of the XMA for observatory integration.

2) Participate in the Phase A study to work with the NASA AXIS team to improve NGXO mirror segment production and module integration techniques, formulate plans to manufacture the XMA, and estimate the cost and schedule for manufacturing the XMA.

3) Should AXIS be selected for implementation, manufacture the approximately 16,000 flight mirror segments and 260 mirror modules for the XMA, and deliver those modules to GSFC for acceptance testing and integration into the final mirror assembly.

A description of the roles associated with the three co-development areas are articulated more clearly below.

The decision to form a partnership for building the X-ray mirror assembly was informed by responses to a Request for Information (https://sam.gov/opp/f14b16a43cd147e4bbda771ad687512c/view) released in November 2023.

The resulting government-industry partnership will fully define the acquisition strategy for the XMA. The acquisition strategy will define how mirrors based on the NGXO XMA design shall be manufactured to meet the requirements of high angular resolution, low mass, and low cost per unit area.

Selected partners will join the NASA AXIS team to develop and deliver the XMA, including optimizing the technical and programmatic approach for building and delivering the XMA, and writing the Concept Study Report (CSR) required during Phase A.

GSFC will negotiate Phase B contracts with selected partners if AXIS is selected for implementation. GSFC will retain independent technical authority over the entire AXIS project, including XMA mirror production and assembly. GSFC will maintain management and system engineering oversight of the entire XMA production and assembly. Final assembly of XMA will be conducted at GSFC.

NOTE: Upon selection, GSFC may discuss and further tailor the roles proposed by respondents in the best interests of the proposal.

The following schedule should be used as a basis for responses to this opportunity

Competitive Phase A Start Date

November 14, 2024

Concept Study Report (CSR) Due

November 14  2025

Site Visit

March/April  2026 (target)

Down select

June 2026 (target)

AO-Required Launch Readiness Date

NLT January 2032 (TBR)

Cost and cost fidelity are important issues for the proposal. The cost cap for the APEX program is $1B (FY23$), excluding launch vehicle, and not including mission-specific adjustments to the cap. The proposed cost shall include the instrument, spacecraft, instrument to spacecraft integration support, environmental testing, launch site operations, and mission and science operations for a minimum of 5 years. Reserves will be held at the project level and not with any partners.

There will be no exchange of funds between the industry partners during Phase A. Post CSR submission, the Government and industry partner will generate the necessary documentation, i.e., Government RFP, industry partner cost and technical proposal, Government cost and technical evaluation of industry partners proposal, etc. for a Bridge Phase B contract that will be awarded should NASA HQ down select the AXIS mission to proceed into Phase B.  Upon down-selection and commensurate contract award, funding will be available for the industry partner to begin working with the AXIS project to manufacture the Mirror Segments and Mirror Modules.