Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ames!yee
From: yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: NASA issues Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Request For Proposals (Forwarded)
Message-ID: <13768@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 23 Aug 88 21:05:09 GMT
Reply-To: yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Lines: 75

Barbara Selby                                 August 22, 1988
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                4:00 P.M. EDT

Jerry Berg
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

RELEASE:  88-117

NASA ISSUES ADVANCED SOLID ROCKET MOTOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

   NASA today issued a request for proposals inviting industry 
to compete for the design, development, test and evaluation of a 
Space Shuttle advanced solid rocket motor (ASRM) to replace in 
the mid l990s the current redesigned solid rocket motor.

   The planned development of a new motor will provide 
substantial improvements in flight safety design margins and 
reliability, and achieve improved Shuttle payload weight 
capability.  The program will use the latest technologies in 
manufacturing, automation, and non-destructive testing and is 
vital for maintaining a sound, competitive industrial base in the 
U.S. solid rocket motor industry.

   The request for proposals provides for full and open 
competition and asks interested firms to propose how they would 
design, build and test the ASRM and the necessary production and 
testing facilities.

   On July 26, the agency announced its selection of the 
government-owned sites to be available as locations for the new 
rocket motor production and test facilities, subject to 
completion of the necessary environmental impact statements.  The 
Tennessee Valley Authority property known as Yellow Creek, 
Mississippi, is the government site selected for the production 
facility, and NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, 
Mississippi, is the site selected for the test facility.

   Firms which respond to the request for proposals will use the 
Yellow Creek and Stennis locations as a common basis for 
proposing government-owned, contractor-operated facilities.  The 
companies also will include in their proposals a 
private-financing option for construction of the same facilities 
on those government sites.

   Companies also will be encouraged to make use of available 
manufacturing space and computing capabilities at NASA's Michoud 
Assembly Facility and Slidell Computer Complex, both located in 
southeastern Louisiana.

   In addition, the request for proposals permits an optional 
proposal under specified conditions for a privately-owned rocket 
facility to be located on a site of the company's choice.

   Firms will have 60 days to prepare and submit their 
proposals.  Following evaluation by a NASA source evaluation 
board, a contract award is anticipated in early 1989.

   The overall cost of the design, development, test and 
evaluation effort is estimated at just under $1 billion, 
including modern tooling and equipment and the supporting 
governmental effort.  An additional $200-$300 million cost is 
anticipated for construction of the facilities.  In addition to 
the basic design and development, the contract also will include 
delivery of rocket motors for six Shuttle missions.

    The design, development, test and evaluation contract will be 
for an approximate 5-year effort leading to delivery of the 
first flight set by 1994 and a flight verification program of six 
Shuttle missions.  Plans call for full phase-in of the new motor 
over an approximate 3-year period.

   The performance goal is to provide a 12,000-pound increase in 
the Shuttle's payload capacity.  The improved ASRM performance 
will help significantly in supporting deployment of Space Station 
Freedom and other critical missions and will contribute to an 
early payback of the development investment.