Partnering Opportunity for Scalable High Energy oPtics for Astronomy Returns and Discovery (SHEPARD)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center has issued a Special Notice for the Scalable High Energy oPtics for Astronomy Returns and Discovery (SHEPARD) project under the Early Career Initiative (ECI). This Request for Information (RFI) seeks potential partners to collaborate on developing advanced manufacturing capabilities for X-ray telescope mirrors. The opportunity is specifically focused on enhancing flow-form manufacturing techniques and precision metrology for astronomical optical systems. The notice was posted on January 22, 2025, with a response deadline of February 19, 2025. The project is part of NASA's broader efforts to advance space exploration and astronomical research technologies.

The SHEPARD project aims to develop sophisticated manufacturing capabilities with specific technical requirements, including flow-forming precision parts and high-resolution metrology hardware capable of 100 nm resolution. Partners will be evaluated based on technical qualifications (40 points), management approach (30 points), and teaming/workforce approach (30 points), with submissions limited to 5 pages. The opportunity is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry entities, non-profits, and government agencies, with particular encouragement for HBCUs, minority universities, and small disadvantaged businesses. The project will provide funding up to $1.0M per year for two years, with a requirement that at least half of the core team consists of NASA early career employees led by an early career Project Lead. Non-U.S. participants must self-fund their involvement, and all partners are expected to provide technical requirements, designs, and cost estimates at no cost to NASA during the proposal development phase.