SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- MONOPROPELLANT THRUSTING SYSTEMS
- Notice Date
- 10/4/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135
- ZIP Code
- 44135
- Solicitation Number
- NNC12ZMA004L
- Response Due
- 11/23/2011
- Archive Date
- 10/4/2012
- Point of Contact
- John W Dankanich, Technical Point of Contact, Phone 216-433-5356, Fax 216-433-2480, Email John.W.Dankanich@nasa.gov - Ernest C. Mensurati, Contracting Officer, Phone 216-433-2727, Fax 216-433-2480, Email Ernest.C.Mensurati@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
John W Dankanich
(John.W.Dankanich@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is seeking information through this Request forInformation (RFI) to identify, improve and/or enhance monopropellant systems forincreasing challenging mission requirements. This document is for information andplanning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness andfeasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition.The current state-of-the art in monopropellant thrusters for spacecraft applications useshydrazine fuel that is decomposed by a catalyst bed. The state-of-the art in catalystused in these thrusters is a packed bed of a porous substrate (alumina) with Iridiumcatalyst. This catalyst system is subject to a number of difficult-to-controldegradation issues associated with the stability of the substrate. Examples includemechanical abrasion between bed particles causing catalyst breakup, penetration ofhydrazine into the pores of the catalyst causing catalyst breakup as the bed warms tooperating temperature, and catalyst breakup due to pressure spikes that occur whenhydrazine that collects in voids in the catalyst bed suddenly decomposes. All of theseprocesses contribute to formation of voids in the catalyst, which then hasten the rate ofbed degradation.For future space missions, NASA is expecting a demand for ever more stringentrequirements for monopropellant thruster performance. Operating conditions for thesethrusters will be severe, including operation with propellant as cold as 10 C, thousandsof starts in which the catalyst bed is raised from a catalyst bed heater temperature aslow as 100 C to steady temperatures as high as 1400 C, and hundreds of thousands ofpulses in which the catalyst bed stays in the range of 100 C to 400 C. Total firingstimes are expected to range upwards of 100,000 s. The pressure within the catalyst bedwill vary from space vacuum to perhaps 30 bar and the flow rate during steady operationmay vary by a factor of 4 or more. The catalyst bed is expected to have a life ofsuccessful monopropellant activation over 10 to 20 years without degradation. Althoughthere are several mechanisms by which the catalyst may degrade due to chemicalinstability, these need to be mitigated, and the catalyst bed structural integrity mustalso be able to demonstrate a high degree of mechanical robustness in order to not belost through the severe duty cycles of operation. NASA GRC is interested in potential catalyst systems that would possess the combinedchemical and mechanical integrity to meet the severe operating conditions describedabove.This RFI is seeking potential options for such catalyst systems, includingcatalyst, support and configuration that could be investigated for possible candidacy forsuch an application. A self assessment of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of theproposed system as well as estimated ROM cost and schedule to mature the systems to TRL 6would be of value. Please provide non-proprietary information only.All inputs must be received by November 23rd, 2011.Interested parties should submit information not to exceed three pages for each concept.Please note that these statements will also be read by non-experts. In the header pleaseinclude the submitting institution, contact person, and RFI title. Information on all monopropellant technologies should be sent, via electronictransmission or by facsimile transmission. This presolicitation synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government,nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response. Respondents willnot be notified of the results. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note 'B'.The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over theInternet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may beaccessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/GRCBusiness Opportunities home page ishttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=22 It is the offeror'sresponsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation andamendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their owncopy of the solicitation and amendments, if any.
- Web Link
-
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- Record
- SN02601668-W 20111006/111004234552-9639446d53c2529f4768efb210f0bdc5 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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