Astral Materials Parabolic Flight Investigation of Silicon Semiconductor Growth

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center (NASA/NSSC) has issued a Special Notice for a sole source contract with Astral Forge, LLC related to a Parabolic Flight Investigation of Silicon Semiconductor Growth. The notice announces NASA's intent to award a contract to Astral Materials for developing and testing a microgravity-assisted crystal growth furnace for semiconductor manufacturing under a NASA SBIR IGNITE Phase II contract. The procurement will utilize commercial item procedures under FAR Parts 12 and 13, with a NAICS code of 541715 for research and development services. The contract is specifically focused on validating hardware and procedures for potential low-Earth orbit manufacturing on the International Space Station through parabolic flight testing. The opportunity is being published as a sole source synopsis, indicating Astral Forge is considered the sole provider of these specialized services.

Contractors interested in understanding or potentially challenging the sole source determination must submit their capabilities and qualifications in writing to Cara Craft (Cara.s.craft@nasa.gov) by 1 p.m. Central Standard Time on March 5, 2025. The project objectives include testing molten metal confinement, cooling systems, and thermal models in microgravity, with specific technical requirements such as heating silicon samples to at least 1420C and producing spherical samples under microgravity conditions. The period of performance extends through February 2026, with work to be performed at Astral Materials' Mountain View, CA facility. Five milestone deliverables are required, including a kickoff meeting, experiment design, safety data submission, post-flight debrief, and a final report with samples. Contractors should note that while responses will be evaluated, the government retains full discretion on the final procurement approach. Oral communications will not be accepted in response to this notice, and all submissions must be in writing.