Thrust Measurement System for Test Stand 406

Background
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is issuing a sole source requirement for a Thrust Measurement System (TMS) for Test Stand 406 at the White Sands Test Facility. The Propulsion Test Office at NASA WSTF supports various programs including flight hardware acceptance and qualification testing of propulsion components. The current TMS is obsolete and no longer supported by industry, necessitating this replacement to meet current and future operational needs.

Work Details
The contract involves providing a new Thrust Measurement System with the following specifications:
- **Thrust Stand Requirements:**
- Measure up to 200-lbf in the primary axial direction.
- Configured to interface with the existing test stand mounting table.
- System accuracy of 0.15% or better from 0 to 200-lbf (full scale).
- Support for field replaceable load and calibration cells.
- Dual bridge load cells with an overload safety factor of 1.5 times full-scale value.
- PT02E-10-6P connector interface with specific pin configurations.
- Designed for a Safety Critical Threshold (SCT) minimum safety factor of 3.0 on yields for all loads.
- Universal flexures with a safety factor of at least 1.5 to yield.
- Deliverables include fluid & wiring schematics, CAD models, operation manuals, data reduction equations, and bill of materials.

- **Calibration System Requirements:**
- Integrated pneumatically actuated and remotely controlled calibration system operating on nitrogen supply (Max 250 PSIG, Nominal 200 PSIG).
- Automated calibration system including software, computer, and rack mountable control system.

- **Operational Environment:**
- Painted portions must use two-part epoxy hypergolic resistant paint by Sherwin Williams.
- Operate within temperature range of 0 °C to 65 °C and relative humidity range of 20% to 80% noncondensing, in a vacuum down to 0.01 psia.

Period of Performance
System Final Design completion by September 30, 2026; Hardware procurement by November 30, 2026; Installation and verification by January 31, 2027.

Place of Performance
White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM.

Bidder Requirements
The vendor must provide a Thrust Measurement System that meets the specified technical requirements outlined in the Facilities Requirements Document (FRD). There are no specific set-aside requirements mentioned; however, compliance with safety standards and verification processes is required.