JPL Descent Camera for the Europa Lander Mission Request for Information (RFI)
BACKGROUND
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is an operating division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) staffed with Caltech employees and is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) under the sponsorship of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is in a pre-phase A development for a lander mission to Europa. The Europa Lander is a mission concept under study by NASA that would send a probe to land on Jupiter's moon Europa and would investigate whether the icy moon could harbor conditions suitable for life [1]. The baseline design for the probe includes two identical descent cameras. Each camera system would include an image sensor, a lens assembly, readout and processing electronics and software, and would be used to image the Europa surface during the deorbit, descent and landing phase of the mission for navigation purposes.
The Europa Lander pre-project is still actively developing system and subsystem requirements, including those for the descent camera. Preliminary requirements for this camera are provided in Table 1. JPL specifically invites responses to identify possible relaxations that could greatly simplify the camera design or reduce or eliminate the need for additional technology development.
Key challenges for Europa Lander descent camera that are not found on most other missions arise from the extreme Jovian radiation environment (see Table 2) and stringent planetary protection requirements (less than 10E-4 probability of contaminating a Europan ocean by a viable Earth microorganism - the most likely approach would be dry heat microbial reduction (DHMR)), coupled with a very tight mass budget. The descent camera should be a self-contained system (optics, focal plane, readout electronics and interface).
REQUIREMENTS
The intent of this RFI is to support formulation of a future Camera Request for Proposal (RFP) that JPL intends to issue (subject to available funding).
JPL is requesting that you:
1. Provide information for a descent camera concept that could meet JPL's requirements listed above, including detector approaches, shielding, strategies to meet planetary protection, etc.
2. Describe areas that you suggest should be the focus of further study, including a ROM cost and schedule for such studies.
3. Describe your previous experience in developing and testing hardware for space flight and high radiation environments (protons, electrons, neutrons).
RESPONSES DUE
JPL would appreciate receiving the above requested information on or before 05/31/2017 at 3PM PDT. Please provide this information to the undersigned via email at Mai.R.Drummond@jpl.nasa.gov Direct all questions to Mai Drummond at (818) 354-0295.
DISCLAIMER
It is emphasized that the requested information is for preliminary planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that JPL will solicit you for such a procurement in the future. Neither JPL nor the Government will be responsible for any costs incurred by you in the furnishing of this information. Response to the RFI is not required for participation in any future competition and response to the RFI does not commit you to participation in any future competition. Prospective subcontractors are advised that any information provided shall be deemed to be furnished with unlimited rights to JPL, with JPL assuming no liability for the disclosure, use, or reproduction of such data.
REFERENCES
[1] K. P. Hand et al., Report of the Europa Lander Science Definition Team. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/Europa_Lander_SDT_Report_2016.pdf
[2] Europa Clipper Draft Environmental Requirements Document http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/europa/docs/Clipper%20ERD--140319--1Apr2014.pdf
Mary Helen Ruiz, Small Business Admin, Phone 8183547532, Fax 818-393-3027, Email maryhelen.ruiz@jpl.nasa.gov - Mai Drummond, Subcontracts Manager, Phone 818-354-0295, Email mai.drummond@jpl.nasa.gov
