80NSSC19C0113
Definitive Contract
Overview
Government Description
THE LIQUID SORPTION PUMP (LSP) IS A NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR ACQUIRING CO2 FROM THE MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE FOR USE IN IN SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION (ISRU) SYSTEMS. IN THE LSP, A SOLVENT, SUCH AS AN ALCOHOL, KETONE, OR ACETATE IS COOLED TO TEMPERATURES BELOW -100 C, WHERE IT BECOMES AN EFFECTIVE SOLVENT FOR MARS ATMOSPHERIC CO2. AFTER ABSORBING 5 PERCENT OR MORE BY MOLE CO2, THE SOLVENT IS PUMPED TO ANOTHER VESSEL WHERE IT IS HEATED TO 30 C, RELEASING THE CO2 AT PRESSURES OF MORE THAN 1 BAR. THE CLEAN WARM SOLVENT IS THEN SENT BACK TO THE ABSORPTION VESSEL, EXCHANGING HEAT WITH THE COLD ABSORPTION COLUMN EFFLUENT AS IT GOES. AFTER THE CLEAN SOLVENT IS COOLED TO NEAR THE DESIGN ABSORPTION TEMPERATURE IN THIS WAY, A MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR IS USED TO ACHIEVE THE FINAL TEMPERATURE REDUCTION. ADVANTAGES OF THE LSP ARE THAT IT CAN OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY DAY OR NIGHT WITHOUT THE NEED FOR MECHANICAL VACUUM ROUGHING PUMPS, SOLID FREEZERS, OR LARGE SORPTION BEDS, REQUIRES LESS POWER THAN OTHER OPTIONS, IS READILY SCALABLE TO HIGH OUTPUTS, AND THAT IT STOPS ALL SULFUR, DUST, OR NON-CONDENSABLE GASES FROM REACHING THE ISRU REACTOR SYSTEM. IN THE PROPOSED SBIR PHASE 2, AN OPERATING PROTOFLIGHT LSP UNIT MEETING THE FULL-SCALE NASA CO2 ACQUISITION REQUIREMENT NEEDED TO SUPPORT WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AND ITS PERFORMANCE ASSESSED.
Awardee
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Lakewood, CO 80215 United States
Pricing
Fixed Price
Set Aside
Small Business Set Aside - Total (SBA)
Extent Competed
Full And Open Competition After Exclusion Of Sources
Est. Average FTE
2
Related Opportunity
None
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the Potential End Date has been extended from 06/25/21 to 09/30/21.
Pioneer Astronautics was awarded
Definitive Contract 80NSSC19C0113 (80NSSC-19-C-0113)
worth up to $754,948
by Shared Services Center
in June 2019.
The contract
has a duration of 2 years 3 months and
was awarded
with a Small Business Total set aside
with
NAICS 541715 and
PSC AR11
via direct negotiation acquisition procedures with 500 bids received.
SBIR Details
Research Type
Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II
Title
Liquid Sorption Pump
Abstract
The Liquid Sorption Pump (LSP) is a new technology for acquiring CO2 from the Martian atmosphere for use in In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) systems. In the LSP, a solvent, such as an alcohol, ketone, or acetate is cooled to temperatures below -100 C, where it becomes an effective solvent for Mars atmospheric CO2. After absorbing 5 percent or more by mole CO2, the solvent is pumped to another vessel where it is heated to 30 C, releasing the CO2 at pressures of more than 1 bar. The clean warm solvent is then sent back to the absorption vessel, exchanging heat with the cold absorption column effluent as it goes. After the clean solvent is cooled to near the design absorption temperature in this way, a mechanical refrigerator is used to achieve the final temperature reduction. Advantages of the LSP are that it can operate continuously day or night without the need for mechanical vacuum roughing pumps, solid freezers, or large sorption beds, requires less power than other options, is readily scalable to high outputs, and that it stops all sulfur, dust, or non-condensable gases from reaching the ISRU reactor system. In the proposed SBIR Phase 2, an operating protoflight LSP unit meeting the full-scale NASA CO2 acquisition requirement needed to support will be demonstrated and its performance assessed.
Research Objective
The goal of phase II is to continue the R&D efforts initiated in Phase I. Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II.
Topic Code
H1
Agency Tracking Number
181164
Solicitation Number
SBIR_18_P2
Contact
Robert Zubrin
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 7/2/21
Period of Performance
6/26/19
Start Date
9/30/21
Current End Date
9/30/21
Potential End Date
Obligations
$754.9K
Total Obligated
$754.9K
Current Award
$754.9K
Potential Award
Award Hierarchy
Definitive Contract
80NSSC19C0113
Subcontracts
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 80NSSC19C0113
People
Suggested agency contacts for 80NSSC19C0113
Competition
Number of Bidders
500
Solicitation Procedures
Negotiated Proposal/Quote
Evaluated Preference
None
Commercial Item Acquisition
Commercial Item Procedures Not Used
Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items
No
Other Categorizations
Subcontracting Plan
Plan Not Required
Cost Accounting Standards
No (Waiver Approved)
Business Size Determination
Small Business
Awardee UEI
K4K5TTXNDSM3
Awardee CAGE
1PDX5
Agency Detail
Awarding Office
80NSSC NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER
Funding Office
80NSSC
Created By
michaelfabacher
Last Modified By
justin.b.prince@nasa.gov
Approved By
james.s.hibbs@nasa.gov
Legislative
Legislative Mandates
None Applicable
Performance District
CO-07
Senators
Michael Bennet
John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper
Representative
Brittany Pettersen
Budget Funding
Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|
Space Technology, National Aeronautics Space Administration (080-0131) | Space flight, research, and supporting activities | Research and development contracts (25.5) | $754,948 | 100% |
Modified: 7/2/21