CIS Capability Studies II: Wideband/Phased Array/Crosslink (NextSTEP-2 BAA: Appendix L)

***Amendment 01 is hereby published as of July 18, 2023. This amendment provides responses to all timely questions received and provides other administrative updates to Appendix L.***

NASA GSFC releases this solicitation under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 (NextSTEP-2) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to seek industry led capability studies.

NASA's long-term vision is to provide for a resilient space and ground communications and navigation infrastructure in which space mission users can seamlessly “roam” between an array of space-based and ground-based networks. Initially, NASA seeks to create an interoperable architecture composed of a mixture of existing NASA assets and commercial networks and services. In the long-term, this will allow for a smooth transition to fully commercialized communications services for near-Earth users. The overarching goal is to create a reliable, robust, and cost-effective set of commercial services in which NASA is one of many customers.

NASA’s strategy to fully transition to commercial services will be accomplished through the expansion of low Earth orbit (LEO) direct to Earth (DTE) services and the operationalization of commercial space-based relay services. These activities will leverage existing partnerships as well as upcoming demonstrations with a full DTE transition targeting 2024 and space relays no later than 2030.

Through meaningful partnerships with industry, the Commercialization, Innovation, and Synergies (CIS) Office identifies opportunities, nurtures diverse relationships, and implements collaborative solutions to enhance capabilities and technologies in support of exploration and space communications. The CIS Office’s second Capability Studies BAA seeks industry insights and innovative guidance in the following three (3) Study Areas:

1. Wideband Satellite Communications
2. Phased Array Ground Systems
3. Constellation Topology Analysis

NASA is seeking innovative commercial insights on these three topics to inform future communication and navigation activities.

Proposals must be submitted electronically in accordance with the instructions detailed in Enclosure A, Appendix L, Sections 13 through 15, no later than August 7, 2023, 5:00pm Eastern Time. Offerors may propose on any, multiple, or all study areas identified in Appendix L. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with Section 16 of Appendix L. NASA reserves the right to select multiple, one, or none of the proposals for award in response to this Appendix. Detailed study requirements and additional information on the overall acquisition strategy, including participant eligibility, is contained also in Appendix L.