NASA Opportunity Regarding Active Cooling Using Cryocoolers

NASA Sources Sought Solicitation regarding Active Cooling using Cryocoolers for in-space Cryogenic Fluid Management

NASA is working to advance active cooling technology using cryocoolers and is seeking responses from industry for technologies and strategies that will meet future human exploration performance objectives reliably. NASA is formulating a procurement strategy to advance cryocooler systems to assure availability for future long duration missions to Mars utilizing cryogenic propellants. This activity is called Cryogenic Active Cooling for Human Exploration (CACHE).

The objective of CACHE is the development and demonstration of high capacity cryocooler technologies to Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-6 for Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) storage which is also scalable for Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Methane (LCH4) for space cryogenic systems supporting future long duration NASA missions.

Responses will be used in the formulation of the CACHE contract and statement of work to maximize participation by organizations that possess the expertise and capability to develop and demonstrate space cryocooler systems as a vertically integrated organization, as a prime integrator, or as specialists in system or component design, analysis, or fabrication. Those organizations that are interested in working with NASA to develop these new technologies are encouraged to respond.

COSMIC is informing members of this opportunity and encouraging responses to the sources sought solicitation for ‘CACHE’.

The RFI will be addressed by several COSMIC Focus Area leaders during their October meetings. Confirm with your Focus Area Leads that it will be on the agenda or to discuss your specific interests in the RFI.

The response date is October 15th, 2024, and the Request for Information can be found at: https://sam.gov/opp/d1c28db10ae24119b62803d2cfeee485/view