[meteorite-list] NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial Mars Data Relay Satellites

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:41:01 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201407232141.s6NLf19C001437_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

July 23, 2014
     
NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial Mars Data Relay Satellites

NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to investigate the
possibility of using commercial Mars-orbiting satellites to provide
telecommunications capabilities for future robotic missions to the Red
Planet.

"We are looking to broaden participation in the exploration of Mars to
include new models for government and commercial partnerships," said John
Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate at
the agency's headquarters in Washington. "Depending on the outcome, the
new model could be a vital component in future science missions and the path
for humans to Mars."

The RFI details possible new business models that would involve NASA
contracting to purchase services from a commercial service provider, which
would own and operate one or more communication relay orbiters. The
solicitation is open to all types of organizations including U.S. industry,
universities, nonprofits, NASA centers, and federally funded research and
development centers, in addition to U.S. government and international
organizations.

NASA is interested in exploring alternative models to sustain and evolve its
Mars' communications relay infrastructure to avoid a communications gap in
the 2020s. The RFI encourages innovative ideas for cost-effective approaches
that provide relay services for existing landers, as well as significantly
improving communications performance.

One possible area for improvement is laser or optical communications. NASA
successfully demonstrated laser communications technology in October 2013
with its Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission.
LADEE made history using a pulsed laser beam to transmit data over 239,000
miles from the moon to Earth at a record-breaking download rate of 622
megabits-per-second (Mbps).

Mars landers and rovers currently transmit their science data and other
information to Earth either by a direct communication link or via orbiting
satellites acting as relay stations. The direct link is severely limited
because of mass, volume, and power limits on the rovers. To address these
limits, NASA's Mars Exploration Program currently uses relay radios on its
Mars science orbiters. The spacecraft carry high-gain antennas and higher
power transmitters that provide very high-rate, energy-efficient links
between orbiters and surface missions as the obiters pass overhead.

NASA currently is operating two Mars science orbiters with relay capabilities
-- Odyssey, launched in 2001, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO),
launched in 2005. These spacecraft enable communication links from the
Curiosity and Opportunity rovers on Mars' surface. This approach will
continue with the Sept. 21 arrival of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile
EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, and the 2016 arrival of the European Space
Agency's ExoMars/Trace Gas Orbiter.

"This Mars relay strategy has been extremely successful in providing the
science and engineering data returned from the Martian surface over the past
decade," said Lisa May, lead program executive for Mars Exploration Program
in Washington.

Because NASA has launched science orbiters to Mars on a steady cadence, the
current strategy has been cost effective. However, NASA has no scheduled Mars
science orbiters after MAVEN arrives on the Red Planet in the fall. This
creates the need to identify cost-effective options to ensure continuity of
reliable, high-performance telecommunications relay services for the future.

"Looking ahead, we need to seriously explore the possibility of the
commercialization of Mars communications services," said May. "This will
offer advantages to NASA, while also providing appropriate
return-on-investment to the service provider."

The RFI is for planning and information purposes only. It is not to be
construed as a commitment by the government to enter into a contractual
agreement, nor will the government pay for information solicited.

To view the complete RFI, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/1kV6KYj

For more information on NASA Mars missions, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mars

For information on the LADEE mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ladee

-end-

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov
Received on Wed 23 Jul 2014 05:41:01 PM PDT