NASA seeks industry input for space weather satellite development

Feb. 21, 2025
Each spacecraft is expected to host eight government-furnished instruments, including sensors for energetic particle flux, magnetometry, X-ray and extreme ultraviolet irradiance, and solar imaging. A potential instrument of opportunity may also be included as the eighth payload.

GREENBELT, Md. - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking industry input on the development and fabrication of a spacecraft for the Space Weather GEO Series (SW GEO), a joint effort with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor space weather from geostationary orbit.

The RFI, released on behalf of NASA and NOAA, covers spacecraft design, potential mission operations services, and payload hosting. The SW GEO series is expected to consist of up to two satellites positioned over the continental United States. It is designed to enhance space weather monitoring and forecasting. The data collected will help mitigate risks to power grids, communication networks, and GPS systems.

Each spacecraft is expected to host eight government-furnished instruments, including sensors for energetic particle flux, magnetometry, X-ray and extreme ultraviolet irradiance, and solar imaging. A potential instrument of opportunity may also be included as the eighth payload.

Related: NASA taps Morehead Space Science Center to demonstrate V-band satellite crosslinks for remote-sensing data

NASA is inviting industry partners to propose spacecraft concepts, mission architecture solutions, and cost estimates. Responses should outline company capabilities, spacecraft bus design, payload accommodation strategies, and mission operations plans. The agency is also seeking input on cost-effective approaches, redundancy strategies for the seven-year mission, and compatibility with NOAA’s ground communication networks.

The deadline for submissions is 28 March 2025 at 4:00 p.m. EST. Responses must be submitted via email to NASA representatives Tammy Seidel at [email protected] and Eugene Guerrero-Martin at [email protected]. More information is available at https://sam.gov/opp/06337182188d4d3fb8c0d38a92912984/view

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