AsgtroPix development of detectors

NASA's Shared Services Center seeks design and fabrication of silicon CMOS pixel detectors for the AstroPix project, with capabilities submissions due July 14, 2026. The procurement is a sole source to Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (Kaiserstr. 12, Karlsruhe 73131, Germany) under FAR 12.102(a); NASA intends to award as a commercial item under FAR Part 12 procedures.

Performance will be located at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Work spans July 1, 2026 through July 1, 2028. The detector specification calls for a 36-column by 34-row pixel matrix (1,224 pixels) with 500-micrometer pixel pitch and 300-micrometer pixel size, incorporating three tune bits per pixel. The device must achieve a dynamic range of 20 keV to 700 keV with a 5 keV noise floor (2% at 662 keV), energy resolution of 10% at 120 keV, and power dissipation below 1.5 mW/cm2. Each pixel requires an in-pixel amplifier with dynamic feedback, and the sensor must support reverse bias voltage up to 400–500V. Additional components include one hit buffer per pixel, 16-bit Flash-TDC, dual-frequency timestamps (2.5 MHz and 20 MHz), six 10-bit VDACs, integrated injection switch, temperature sensors, PLL, and DLL for TDC stabilization. The digital interface must provide two SR interfaces, LVDS 20 MHz clock capability, common interrupt and hold signals, unique ID per sensor, and five QSPI I/O in daisy chain configuration. The NAICS code is 541715. Interested organizations may submit capabilities and qualifications to Cody Guidry (Cody.d.guidry@nasa.gov) to determine whether the procurement will proceed on a competitive basis. Oral communications are not acceptable.