ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8491
Open Date: 07/12/2015
Closing Date: 25/01/2016

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 15.133.09
Prog. Ref.: GSTP Period 6 E1 PRJ
Budget Ref.: E/0904-611 – GSTP Period 6 E1 PRJ
Special Prov.: DK+CH+PL
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: Mechanical Engineering Department
Division: Structure and Mechanisms Division
Contract Officer: Almeida, Rudolfo
Last Update Date: 07/12/2015
Update Reason: Tender issue

Almost all space missions require one or more single shot deployable booms (e.g. for deployment of low gain antennas, magnetometers, accelerometers etc), or retractable (behind thermal shields etc.) typically including the following equipment / building blocks: -Deployment mechanisms, – Hold down and release mechanisms, and retraction mechanisms – The boom structural part, – Thermal protection. Despite the plurality of applications, typical design / functional requirements are quite similar (mass / length, stiffness, accuracy, repeatability, stability) with few exceptions. Project procurement approach is normally based on re-use of already qualified and flown hardware, but specific dimensions / envelope / interface requirements demand for substantial design changes (to flown hardware) for which new qualification of the basic equipment and of the entire assembly is often needed. Substantial savings in terms ofrecurring and non-recurring costs, and delivery time can be achieved thanks to a standardised approach for the design, production and qualification (as necessary) activity of a generic deployable boom assembly, thus standard modular components qualification together with the finished product shall show capability to perform in extreme environment. Filament winding capability of extreme thin walled composite components and adhesive bonding joining is anticipated most cost efficient approach for structural building blocks. To contribute toward a standardised approach, modularity and scalability of basic building blocks shall be investigated at design and manufacturing level, together with the standardisation of the production processes (particularly for the composite parts and joining technologies). The need for an industrial team encompassing both mechanisms and boom composite competences is anticipated. The activity shall focus on short type of deployable booms (one segment, typically from 0.5m up to 4m), but including also extension to longer, multi-segment booms, up to approximately 10m length. Some limited BB activity to validate (as necessary) critical technological or design areas is anticipated, e.g. environmental testing of mechanisms and bonded joints.

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