ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10307
Open Date: 30/04/2020
Closing Date: 11/06/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 20.127.03
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Thermal Control / Thermal Protection for atmospheric entry / Ablative systems products, Reusable systems products / Satellites & Probes / Thermal Control / Thermal control – C&P / Insulators and refractive materials (MLI, …) / Satellites & Probes / Structures / Inflatable space structures / Satellites & Probes / Structures / Space structures with changing geometries / Deployable Structures, Adaptive Trusses, …
Technology Domains: Thermal / Thermal Protection / Ablative Systems / Thermal / Thermal Protection / Reusable Systems / Structures / Inflatable and Deployable Structures / Joining Technologies
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Mechanical Department
Division: Thermal Division
Contract Officer: Magne-Lie, Karine
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 30/04/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

To preliminarily define and characterise a Flexible Thermal Protection System with stowage, deployment and stiffening capabilities suited for integration into an inflatable hypersonic decelerator systems.This shall include: Selection and characterisation of materials Definition of baseline F-TPS blanket layup and assembly process Definition of baseline process for joining of adjacent F-TPS blankets Preliminary verification at sub-assembly level by structural/thermal and plasma testing Demonstration of folding and un-folding capabilities by means of a simplified breadboardTRL-3 (Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proof-of-concept) shall be achieved for the flexible TPS blanket and blanket to blanket joint connection.The reference application to be considered for this development shall be an inflatable hypersonic decelerator system (IAD) on a Mars entry and descent module of about 2000 kg entry mass aiming to land at an elevated altitude of about 2000 m above MOLA [AD- 1 RD- 3].As a baseline the flexible TPS shall be considered to exist of external layers providing protection against the harsh aerothermodynamic entry environment and internal layers providing thermal insulation to protect the gas barrier and inflatable structure underneath the flexible TPS. More details are found in [AD- 1].