| NASA Headquarters recently approved a new approach to building the GPM Core Spacecraft. Under this innovative plan—designated the Hybrid Approach—the government will be responsible for the design and production of certain elements of the GPM Core Spacecraft, and a contractor will be selected to provide the remaining subsystems. The previous strategy had called for procurement of the entire spacecraft via the Rapid Spacecraft Development Office's (RSDO) acquisition process. The Hybrid Approach, however, will still take advantage of benefits available through the RSDO’s fixed price contract arrangements. Fixed price contracts are advantageous for the purchase of systems that can be used "off the shelf" without many modifications. The GPM Core Spacecraft Avionics Package (AP) fits this bill well. The AP consists of a number of subsystems (command and data handling; guidance, navigation and control; communications; etc.) that are very similar to those built for other missions. Thus GPM will utilize the RSDO acquisition process to select a vendor to provide the Core Spacecraft AP. The remainder of the spacecraft's components are unique and consequently will be developed by the civil servant workforce. GSFC will design and build subsystems including the spacecraft structure, thermal system, high gain antenna boom and actuators, solar arrays, reaction wheels, propulsion subsystem, and more. The Hybrid Approach resulted from an initiative the Center Director instituted to maintain and enhance the technical skills set possessed by the GSFC workforce. In-house projects, where civil servants participate in hands-on technical efforts, are an effective method of sustaining and augmenting intellectual capital. Prior to selecting a contractor to develop the AP, two RSDO vendors will be selected to support the GPM Project in studying the Hybrid Approach. Vendors taking part in the study will be required to provide a complete set of requirements for the AP acquisition. Participating vendors will also investigate details regarding the implementation of the Hybrid design, such as the level of insight the contractor will provide into the AP design, the AP environmental test program, AP delivery schedule, and simulator requirements. The vendors will be required to conduct an Avionics Design Review (ADR) and produce a final report roughly three months after the study commences. For further information, please contact Steve Horowitz, GPM
Core Observatory Manager at |