ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO10144
Open Date: 20/01/2020
Closing Date: 02/03/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.139.16
Prog. Ref.: E3P P1 X-Ray
Budget Ref.: E/0143-01S – E3P P1 X-Ray
Special Prov.: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+ES+FR+GB+GR+IE+IT+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Payloads / Instruments / Other Instruments / Gradiometers, Plasma detectors, ¿
Technology Domains: Optoelectronics / Detector Technologies / UV, X-ray & Gamma-Ray Detectors
Life & Physical Sciences / Instrumentation in Support of Physical Sciences / Sensors and Analytical Instrumentation
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Dir of Human & Robotic Exploration Prog.
Department: Development Projects Group
Division: Paylods Engineering Team
Contract Officer: Graziano, Patrizio
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 20/01/2020
Update Reason: Tender issue

The observation and monitoring of solidification, crystallisation and diffusion processes in situ under micro-g conditions is of very high scientific interest. This procurement follows a number of successful experiment campaigns on Sounding Rockets and on Parabolic Flights, which have provided the scientific community with important results in the field of Materials Science. The identified need for prolonged periods of micro-g conditions to increase quantity and quality of the aforementioned scientific return constitutesthe rationale to develop an X-Ray Facility for utilisation on the ISS. Concurrently, the added value to extend the Facility conceptto a multi-discipline facility has been recognised. Therefore, the subject X-Ray Facility is now intended to provide capabilities andflexibility for in in-situ and time-resolved X-ray diagnostic not only for Materials but also other research disciplines in space. The X-Ray Facility will be a multi-discipline and multi-user facility that provides an X-ray source(s) and accommodation of experiment-dedicated Experiment Units, which can support in the first instance Materials Science experiments and, in the future and if confirmed at the end of the Phase A/B, also other types of experiments in different disciplines. The Experiment Units will encase the actual experiments, and are to be designed to be exchangeable on-orbit. Consistent with this, the scopes of the Phase A/B shall be therequirements consolidation and feasibility assessment of a multi-discipline X-Ray Facility and of a first Experiment Unit (Materials Science). Phase C/D/E1 will follow a successful PDR.