IGF::OT::IGF "DEVELOPMENT OF MISSION OPERATIONS (PHASE E) COST MODEL FOR THE EARTH SCIENCE AND EXPLORER PRO…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF "DEVELOPMENT OF MISSION OPERATIONS (PHASE E) COST MODEL FOR THE EARTH SCIENCE AND EXPLORER PROGRAMS" - THIS STUDY WILL ASSESS HOW TO BUILD A PHASE E COST MODEL TO SUPPORT THE NASA SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE (SMD) TECHNICAL, MANAGEMENT AND COST REVIEW OF SMD ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY (AO) PROPOSALS. THERE IS LIMITED PHASE E COST DATA AVAILABLE ON NASA PROPOSALS FOR STEP 1 BASED ON ANALYSIS OR VERIFICATION OF EARTH SCIENCE AND EXPLORER MISSIONS. PHASE E ENTAILS SPLITTING MISSION OPERATIONS DOWN TO A LOWER LEVEL THAT INCLUDES: THE CRUISE (OUTBOUND), ORBITAL (INSERTION TO TARGET), ORBITAL OPERATIONS, AND DATA ANALYSIS/SAMPLE ARCHIVING (PROCESSING). IN ADDITION, THE PHASE E COST MODEL WILL INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) INSTRUMENTS, CUBESATS, AND HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS. THE ISS IS A COMPLEX OF RESEARCH LABORATORIES IN LOW-EARTH ORBIT IN WHICH U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTS CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN A SPACE ENVIRONMENT. NASA ALSO PLANS TO SEND CUBESATS INTO SPACE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. NASA PLACES THE CUBESATS AS SECONDARY PAYLOADS ON ROCKET LAUNCHES THAT ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED. HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROVIDE A COST-EFFECTIVE PLATFORM TO ENABLE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PAYLOADS TO BE TESTED IN A REALISTIC, SPACE-LIKE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.