NASA Looks For Proposals For Gateway Logistics

NASA will issue a formal call later this summer for cargo transport services for its lunar walkway, seeking the effort in the space station's commercial cargo program.

NASA launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) draft for its Gateway logistics services program on June 14, seeking industry feedback by July 10. The agency also held an industry day for the program at the Kennedy Space Center on June 26 before issuing a final RFP later in the summer.

NASA plans to acquire services through the program for the transport of pressurized and non-pressurized cargo to the Lunar Catwalk, and the loading of cargo from the Gateway, similar to the services it now uses to transport cargo to and from the Station. International Space. It is the latest part of an ongoing effort to maximize commercial services for the program, which aims to attract humans to the south pole of the moon by 2024 and establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by 2028.

"The Gateway, and the specific requirements of the logistics supply, the deep-space supply chain, taking the next step towards a greater concentration of space," said Mark Wiese, logistics manager of Gateway at KSC, in a statement from La POT.

According to the work declaration and the requirements documents included in the draft RFP, each must comply with less than 3,400 kilograms of pressurized cargo and 1,000 kilograms of non-pressurized cargo at Gateway. The ship must be able to remain coupled to the Gateway for up to three years and on the contrary to the amount of the cargo delivered for its elimination "to an orbit of the elimination of the end of the mission secure and stable by the government or other government, approved place of elimination. "

The company that provides the logistics services. Responsible for launching the cargo spacecraft, with the only requirement of NASA.

The RFP does not have a flight rate for these missions but has a single mission. NASA currently projects a manned mission a year until the end of 2020.

The draft RFP includes options for logistics services beyond the reference transportation of pressurized and non-pressurized cargo. That includes the "fast transit" capability of the cargo spacecraft to reach the Gateway within 30 days after launch. Other options include refueling, additional payload capacity, long-term habitability and the ability to manifest in a mission of space launch services.

NASA provided a fixed price contract for logistics services, with a maximum value of $ 7 million for 15 years. Marshall Smith, director of human lunar exploration programs at NASA headquarters, said in the NASA statement that the agency could offer "multiple contracts" for logistics services.

By: Preeti Narula

Content: https://spacenews.com/nasa-to-seek-proposals-for-gateway-logistics/