Lunar Rover Navigation Cameras

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is hereby soliciting information about potential sources of spaceflight-qualified cameras for planetary rover missions on the Moon.

This RFI seeks information about cameras that can be delivered by December 2021 at the latest for use on a lunar rover mission. The cameras must be compact, lightweight, low power, and capable of imaging natural terrain hazards (rocks, craters, slopes, etc.). The cameras must be able to survive on a lunar rover operating at the Lunar poles for at least 120 days in both shadow and sunlight. NASA is particularly interested in camera systems with on-board buffering and image processing functions (possibly performed by an external camera controller unit) that can reduce the amount of processing required external to the camera system. These functions include implementations of auto-exposure, compression, rectification, or flat-field correction. NASA is interested in procuring anywhere from 6-10 flight units and a similar number of engineering units of the camera system. At least two different lens options are sought (a wide angle and a medium angle) for the same camera body.  

The notional specifications for the camera systems are provided in the attachment titled “Table 1 – Lunar Rover Camera Specifications”.

This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and there is no solicitation at this time. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals and submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary. The government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred and the respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in beta.SAM.gov. It is the potential offeror’s responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

If your organization has the potential capacity to perform some or all contract services listed above, please provide the following information to the best of your ability. Partial responses are also accepted.

1. Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, CAGE code, and size and type (large, small, women-owned…) of ownership for the organization, and the number of years in business.

2. Discuss your company’s ability to perform each of the services listed above.

3. If subcontracting or joint venture is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the anticipated administrative and management structure of such arrangements (if this information is known at this time). Also address what elements of work would be performed by the prime or joint venture and which elements would be performed by subcontractors.

If the Government issues a Request for Proposal (RFP), the government reserves the right to restrict the procurement to small businesses. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. All responses shall be submitted to Bermuda Brittingham at bermuda.a.brittingham@nasa.gov, no later than May 5, 2020, 4:30PM CT. Please reference 80JSC020CAMERA in any response.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html.