Fission Surface Power System - Technical Library
ID: 80GRC025FSPS_Tech_LibraryType: Special Notice
Overview

Buyer

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATIONNATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATIONNASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTERCLEVELAND, OH, 44135, USA

PSC

SPACE R&D SVCS; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH & SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; R&D FACILITIES & MAJ EQUIP (AR15)
Timeline
    Description

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center is establishing a Technical Library for potential offerors interested in the Fission Surface Power (FSP) System Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP). This initiative aims to advance fission surface power technology to support future lunar and Mars missions, facilitating a sustainable lunar economy and power generation on Mars. The Technical Library will provide essential technical documents and specifications, which will be updated periodically, and interested parties are responsible for monitoring the website for updates. For access to export-controlled content, individuals must submit a completed "FSPS Export Control Request Form" to the designated contacts, Matthew Evans and Linda Nabors, via email. This notice is not a request for proposals, and no proposals should be submitted in response.

    Point(s) of Contact
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    The NASA Technical Standard NASA-STD-6016C w/CHANGE 1 outlines the minimum materials and processes (M&P) requirements for the design, fabrication, and testing of space program flight hardware. It applies to all spaceflight hardware, including vendor-designed and off-the-shelf items, and details controls for ground support equipment to prevent contamination. The standard mandates a Materials and Processes Selection, Control, and Implementation Plan, which must be approved and used for verification. It emphasizes the need for M&P controls for mission-critical hardware, including certification, traceability, and documented material usage. The document also introduces a Material Usage Agreement (MUA) system for technically acceptable M&P that do not fully comply with the standard, particularly for human-rated spacecraft, ensuring safety and mission success.
    The NASA Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) has released the Exploration EVA (xEVA) System Compatibility Standards (EHP-10028) document, effective May 9, 2024, to consolidate design standards for hardware and systems interfacing with xEVA suits and activities for Artemis missions. This document ensures compatibility for all Artemis Systems, including Gateway, Human Landing System (HLS), Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), Pressurized Rover (PR), and payloads, across microgravity and lunar surface environments. Key areas covered include clearances for translation paths and tools, requirements for EVA handling, worksite outfitting, loads, connectors, fasteners, hardware design, and safety protocols. The standards aim to minimize performance risks for EVA flight crewmembers and provide fundamental information for building and verifying Artemis hardware compatibility. It supersedes older program-specific documents, establishing a unified set of standards for future exploration endeavors.
    The file, "090925 Data Drop 1.zip", along with other data drops, lists various controlled and uncontrolled documents crucial for federal government projects, likely related to NASA's Moon to Mars (M2M) initiative. It outlines key technical specifications, requirements, and standards for several programs, including Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) and Human Landing System (HLS). Document titles cover contamination control, interoperability, lunar relay services, natural environments, EVA system compatibility, GUI standards, safety, electromagnetic effects, communications, power, software, and command and data handling. The list also includes standards for electrical bonding, materials, and processes for spacecraft. These documents are vital for ensuring compliance, safety, and technical consistency across complex space exploration endeavors, forming a critical part of federal RFPs and grants for aerospace development.
    This document outlines the requirements for obtaining access to export-controlled scientific and technical information, emphasizing compliance with U.S. export regulations. Individuals must submit specific company and contact details through an authorized manager to the Contracting Officer. The requesting company is responsible for verifying the accuracy of this information and ensuring adherence to all U.S. export regulations. It explicitly states that recipients and their employees must not be foreign persons as defined by 22 CFR §120.16 or listed on any “Designated Countries List.” Foreign nationals from designated countries or those requiring access to export-controlled information under a Programmatic Technology Transfer Control Plan (P-TTCP) need an Individual Technology Transfer Control Plan (I-TTCP) and a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Foreign nationals from non-designated countries under a P-TTCP must comply with the International Partner or Foreign National Certification within the P-TTCP. The document underscores the company’s responsibility for ensuring export compliance.
    The NASA HLS-IRD-010 Revision B document outlines the interface requirements for the Human-class Delivery Lander (HDL) System to Cargo, an element of the Artemis Lunar Exploration Program. This document, released November 8, 2024, details the HDL's role in delivering integrated and offloaded cargo, such as the Lunar Surface Habitat and Pressurized Rover, to the lunar surface. It specifies technical interfaces including structural/mechanical, electrical (2 kW continuous power for 48 hours post-landing), command and data handling, thermal control (2 kW active thermal control for 48 hours post-landing), environmental, human factors, and safety requirements. The document also addresses verification responsibilities and methodologies (inspection, analysis, demonstration, test, audit) to ensure compliance. The HDL is designed to support various cargo configurations and maintain stability for loaded masses up to 22 metric tons post-landing, emphasizing the need for robust interfaces for successful lunar missions.
    The Johnson Space Center (JSC) Procedural Requirements document JPR No. 5322.1H, titled "Contamination Control Requirements Manual," establishes minimum requirements for effective contamination control within JSC organizations and applicable contractors. It covers design, development, manufacturing, testing, inspection, and handling of space flight and associated ground support equipment. Key areas include procurement documentation, Foreign Object Damage (FOD) prevention programs, surface cleanliness levels (Generally Clean, Visibly Clean, and Precision Clean), environmentally controlled areas (cleanrooms, laminar flow clean workstations, and controlled work areas), garment and consumable requirements, packaging, storage, microbiological and electrostatic discharge control, cleaning process control, and personnel training. The manual emphasizes mandatory compliance, outlines processes for waivers and deviations, and details measurement and verification through certification, audits, and monitoring by the Quality and Flight Equipment Division. The document underwent significant restructuring in its
    The LunaNet Interoperability Specification (LNIS V4) defines standard services and interfaces for a cooperative lunar communications and navigation network. Developed by NASA and ESA, LunaNet aims to provide interoperable communication, navigation, and timing (PNT) services for lunar missions by integrating diverse commercial and government providers. The document details three communication service types: real-time, store-and-forward, and messaging, along with PNT services that include reference signals and the Lunar Augmented Navigation System (LANS). LANS, similar to GNSS, will offer global lunar PNT capabilities via an Augmented Forward Signal (AFS). The specification also outlines various interfaces between LunaNet service providers (LNSPs) and users, as well as between LNSPs themselves, covering lunar surface, proximity, direct-to-Earth, and terrestrial links. Appendix A allocates these specifications to Initial Operations Capability (IOC) and Sustained Capability phases, supporting early Artemis missions and future lunar presence. Security considerations are addressed, with an emphasis on protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Numerous sections are marked as "To Be Determined" (TBD) or "To Be Refined" (TBR), indicating ongoing development of specific standards, frequencies, and signal structures.
    The NASA Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems (LCRNS) Project has outlined requirements for Lunar Orbiting Relay Services to support Artemis missions, NASA payloads, and other science and technology missions in the lunar regime. This Services Requirements Document (SRD) details communication and navigation services from lunar users to a NASA Near Space Network (NSN) interface point on Earth, and vice versa. It also covers services for lunar users operating independently within the lunar proximity. The project aims for an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) between 2025 and 2028, gradually building capabilities across three increments (IOC-Alpha, IOC-Bravo, IOC-Charlie), with a more complex Enhanced Operating Capability (EOC) starting in 2030. The document defines service volumes, availability, latency, data services, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) terminology, including Point-to-Point (P2P) links and an Augmented Forward Signal (AFS) for a Lunar Augmented Navigation System (LANS). Key aspects include interoperability with the LunaNet Interoperability Specification, real-time and store-and-forward data relay, and support for dynamic lunar operations and various frequency bands (S-Band, Ka-Band, Optical) with specific polarization requirements. The SRD emphasizes robust design, failure tolerance, and high-quality design standards for critical operational support to lunar systems.
    The M2M-30040 Moon to Mars (M2M) Graphical User Interface (GUI) Standard specifies guidelines for developing consistent, usable GUIs across the Artemis program. This document aims to reduce operator workload and errors, increase situational awareness, and improve mission safety by standardizing GUI design. It applies to human-rated spaceflight vehicles, contractor-furnished equipment, government-furnished equipment, and items from international partners, including both fixed and portable displays. The standard details requirements for general layout, data display, commanding, system messages, and various GUI components such as text, labels, menus, buttons, alphanumeric inputs, numbers, icons, graphs, schematics, color usage, flashing, and special-purpose elements like timers. While the standard applies to all M2M programs, the Human Landing System (HLS) and Orion programs have approved tailored GUI standards that meet its intent. The document also outlines change authority, responsibility, and conventions for indicating requirements and goals.
    The NASA Moon to Mars (M2M) Lunar Surface Data Book (M2M-30044) serves as a critical reference for Artemis missions, providing a common set of lunar surface data, products, and analytical assumptions. Released on March 18, 2025, this baseline document aids mission planners and hardware designers in understanding the lunar south pole region's terrain and characteristics. It compiles data from both in-situ missions (Apollo, Lunokhod, Chang'e) and orbital missions (LRO, Clementine, Lunar Prospector, Kaguya, LCROSS, GRAIL, Chandrayaan, Danuri), focusing on the most recent and relevant information. The book details lunar surface data sources (e.g., LRO instruments like CRaTER, Diviner, LAMP, LEND, Mini-RF, LOLA, LROC) and products (imagery, altimetry, geophysical properties, thermal, radiation, and meteoroid environments, geological and mineralogical maps). It also covers modeling analyses, assumptions, and lunar terrain characteristics, including general features, surface interaction, illumination, and hazards. The document concludes with example use cases leveraging lunar surface data, such as South Pole exploration sites and representative traverses, providing supporting information for Artemis mission planning and design requirements.
    The NASA Technical Standard NASA-STD-4003A w/CHANGE 1 outlines the essential electrical bonding requirements for NASA launch vehicles, spacecraft, payloads, and flight equipment. This standard, revalidated in 2016, establishes a common framework for consistent electrical bonding practices across NASA programs. It categorizes electrical bonds into five classes: Class C (Power Current Return Path), Class H (Shock and Fault Protection), Class R (Electromagnetic Interference or Radio Frequency), Class L (Lightning Protection), and Class S (Electrostatic Discharge), each with specific requirements for resistance, impedance, and current-carrying capabilities. The document details bonding methods (metal-to-metal, bond straps, fasteners), surface preparation, galvanic corrosion control, and considerations for Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). Verification methods, including testing, analysis, and inspection, are also defined to ensure compliance and safety across all applicable NASA projects and facilities.
    The "Cross-Program Design Specification for Natural Environments (DSNE)," document SLS-SPEC-159, Revision I, dated October 27, 2021, outlines natural environmental specifications for the Space Launch System (SLS) Program. This extensive document details environmental conditions across various mission phases, including prelaunch, ground processing, launch countdown, Earth ascent, in-space operations, lunar surface operations, entry, landing, contingency/off-nominal landing, and recovery/post-flight processing. Key areas covered include ground and aloft winds, radiant and air temperatures, pressure, humidity, aerosols, precipitation, flora/fauna, lightning, ionizing radiation, meteoroid/orbital debris, gravitational fields, thermal environments, solar illumination, and lunar surface properties. The document provides detailed tables and figures specifying design limits, profiles, fluxes, and parameters for these natural environments, essential for the design, testing, and operation of SLS hardware and missions. It also includes sections on compliance assessment and a history of revisions, highlighting its ongoing evolution to incorporate updated models and database information.
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