REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR COMPACT LASER COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTER FOR CUBESAT APPLICATIONS
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) issues this Request For Information (RFI) as an effort to identify potential sources for compact laser transmitters for CUBESat applications for a possible future technology demonstration space flight mission.
Goddard is developing a CUBESat spacecraft with science mission payload for a multiple unit CUBESat spacecraft that will generate >1 Gbit/day science data at distances up to 0.5 Astronomical Units (AU). Reference 1 gives a notional CUBESat laser communications system concept.
The purpose of this RFI is to solicit specific capability information from industry on master- oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) laser communication transmitter technologies. This will be used for a cost, schedule and technical assessment to assist with preparing for a possible near-future NASA CUBESat spacecraft technology demonstration. The opportunity is a possible near-future space flight mission with an optical communications downlink for science data at distances up to 0.5 Astronomical Units (AU). This RFI in no way constitutes a commitment of future funding opportunities from NASA.
Interested organizations are invited to submit a description of their master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) development efforts with technical and resource/facility capabilities relevant to a possible future NASA CUBESat spacecraft technology demonstration space flight mission. This submittal should be sent to the NASA point of contact listed below. It should also describe the organization’s experience and past performance in high-power (> 1 W average, > 100 W peak) free-space laser communications transmitters.
This RFI specifically requests information in the following areas:
1. Information on MOPA laser communication transmitters designs using laser-diode oscillators, electro-optic modulators and fiber-laser-amplifier technologies that will meet or exceed the performance requirements given in Table I. Reference 2 provides one method for achieving a high extinction ratio with minimal insertion loss.
2. Information on previous prototype, breadboard, brass-board, engineering model or flight model MOPA laser communication transmitters, that operate in the 1.0 – 1.6 µm wavelength region for laboratory or commercial applications. We are interested in experience with either and/or both Ytterbium and Erbium gain media.
3. Experience with laser components (e.g. pump laser diodes, damage testing of optical coatings, fiber-laser-amplifier development etc.) and environmental testing and qualification (e.g. vibration, long-term reliability, temperature cycling, accelerated life-tests, vacuum) of airborne and/or space-based diode-pumped laser amplifiers in the 1.0 – 1.6 µm wavelength range.
4. Information on facilities capability which could potentially be applied to manufacturing the space-qualified laser amplifiers for the CUBESat laser communication transmitter technology demonstration space flight mission.
5. Any published results and/or technical reports on the above (or other relevant) topics, to be included as appendices.
Format of responses & questions:
1. Executive Summary– This should not exceed one page and may address any major items that the organization wishes to highlight.
2. Main body & appendices. The main body of the response should not exceed 15 pages in length and shall address the five topics stated earlier. There is no page limit on appendices.
3. Questions for responders. As part of its assessment, Goddard may contact respondents to this RFI if clarification or further information is needed. However, the Government is under no obligation to have discussions with any or all respondents, or to make any award as a result of the RFI.
4. Rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) cost and schedule estimates. The vendors are encouraged to provide ROM costs and a notional schedule for a CLASS D [3, 4] (i.e. up-screened commercial parts) space-qualified MOPA laser communication transmitters (Quantity: 2) that would meet or exceed the specifications listed in Table 1.
5. Use of information – This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be used by the Government on a non-attribution basis to assist in planning for development and/or proposal options for a near-future NASA CUBESat spacecraft technology demonstration. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Information will be kept as proprietary if so marked. At this time, NASA is exploring the possibility of a future acquisition as a result of this RFI. Therefore, no solicitation exists or available at this time for this RFI. Submission process:
1. Capability Statements shall be submitted to the technical point of contact listed below. Statements may be submitted electronically via email to the address listed below. A .pdf format is preferred.
2. Submission Deadline: May 9, 2017.
3. Questions may be posed to the Contract Specialist or technical POC listed below during the first 5 days of the RFI posting. Questions and answers may be posted as an addendum to this RFI.
4. Technical Point of Contact: (E-mail is preferred):
Dr. Michael Krainak,
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Laser & Electro-Optics Branch, MC 554
Bldg 33, Rm E228,
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Phone: (301) 614-6797
email: michael.a.krainak@nasa.gov
Kristal Kerr, Contract Specialist, Phone 3012863723, Email kristal.kerr@nasa.gov
