Compact Submm-Wave and Long-Wave Infrared Polarimeters (SWIRP) instrument subsystems design and manufacturing

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) awarded a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract for the acquisition of design and manufacturing services of three subsystems of the Compact Submm-Wave and Long-Wave Infrared Polarimeters (SWIRP) instrument. The development of this instrument is part of the Compact Submm-Wave and LWIR Polarimeters for Cirrus Ice Properties project, which goal is to enable accurate measurements of cloud ice and its microphysical properties in an effort to improve climate models.

This award was made based on a selection of a proposal titled, "SWIRP: Compact Submm-Wave and LWIR Polarimeters for Cirrus Ice Properties" (16-IIP16-0033), submitted to the Science Mission Directorate's Earth Science Division, in response to NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH16ZDA001N: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES-2016), Program Element A.42: Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) issued on February 19, 2016. NASA received a total of 80 proposals in response to this NRA and selected 17. A peer review panel evaluated all received proposals in terms of their intrinsic merit, relevance, and responsiveness to Earth Science goals and objectives, as well as realism of cost.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (NGAS) was awarded the CPFF contract in the amount of $1,630,323. The contract has a period of performance from October 1, 2017 through March 31, 2019.