R&D- SPACE: OTHER (ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT)

NEW HORIZON -- PLUTO MISSION PHASE B

IGF::OT::IGF BAA - NEXT SPACE TECHNOLOGIES FOR EXPLORATION PARTNERSHIPS (NEXTSTEP) PROPOSAL - HABITATION. NASA HAS INCREASINGLY EMBRACED PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR ACHIEVING ITS STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR EXPANDING THE FRONTIERS OF KNOWLEDGE, CAPABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SPACE. THE NEXT STEP FOR HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT MORE EXTENSIVE MISSIONS IN THE PROVING GROUND AROUND AND BEYOND CISLUNAR SPACE. AN IMPORTANT PART OF NASAS STRATEGY IS TO STIMULATE THE COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY WHILE LEVERAGING THOSE SAME COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH FUTURE CONTRACTS AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO DELIVER MISSION CAPABILITIES. NASAS ACTIVITIES IN ENABLING THE PIONEERING OF SPACE ARE BEING DRIVEN BY A SET OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES: IMPLEMENTABLE IN THE NEAR-TERM WITH THE BUYING POWER OF CURRENT BUDGETS AND IN THE LONGER TERM WITH BUDGETS COMMENSURATE WITH ECONOMIC GROWTH; EXPLORATION ENABLES SCIENCE AND SCIENCE ENABLES EXPLORATION APPLICATION OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVEL (TRL) TECHNOLOGIES FOR NEAR TERM MISSIONS, WHILE FOCUSING SUSTAINED INVESTMENTS ON TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF FUTURE MISSIONS; NEAR-TERM MISSION OPPORTUNITIES WITH A DEFINED CADENCE OF COMPELLING AND INTEGRATED HUMAN AND ROBOTIC MISSIONS PROVIDING FOR AN INCREMENTAL BUILDUP OF CAPABILITIES FOR MORE COMPLEX MISSIONS OVER TIME; OPPORTUNITIES FOR U.S. COMMERCIAL BUSINESS TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE AND BUSINESS BASE MULTI-USE, EVOLVABLE SPACE INFRASTRUCTURE, MINIMIZING UNIQUE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS; SUBSTANTIAL INTERNATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL PARTICIPATION, LEVERAGING CURRENT INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND OTHER PARTNERSHIPS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL DEVELOP A SIMPLE, LOW COST EXPLORATION AUGMENTATION MODULE (EAM) THAT IS AFFORDABLE EARLY ON, THAT ALLOWS VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES TO BE TESTED OVER TIME, AND THAT IS CAPABLE OF EVOLVING INTO A LONG-DURATION CREW SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CISLUNAR AND MARS EXPLORATION.