NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center, on behalf of the NSSTC, is soliciting expressions of interest to complement our
existing resources in order to strengthen the proposals to be submitted for future research. The respondent should
understand that initial contributions of resources will be at the expense of the provider. However, this investment in time,
personnel, and/or facilities may result in the award of peer-reviewed research in which the respondent would be a
partner. This will be the basis for establishing potential cooperative agreements between the NSSTC and the
organization for the partnership endeavor.
The NSSTC is a collaborative research and education initiative focused on selected key scientific disciplines. It consists
of researchers and resources from government, academia, and industry collaborating in an environment that enables
cutting edge basic and applied research and fosters education of the next generation of scientists and engineers. The
scientific disciplines include Earth Science, Space Science, Materials Science, Biotechnology, Advanced Optics and Energy
Technology, Propulsion, and Information Technology.
The NSSTC has been formed initially with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the State of
Alabama through the Space Science and Technology Alliance (SSTA). The SSTA is comprised of the following six
research universities of the State of Alabama: Alabama A&M;, Auburn University, University of Alabama, University of
Alabama in Birmingham, University of Alabama in Huntsville, and University of South Alabama. The effective period of
the arrangement is 5 years with three 5-year option periods to follow.
The NSSTC is planned to be a virtual research center without walls. Teams of researchers, that can include universities,
industry, and government representatives, each working at their own location or in a location as deemed most effective,
will conduct the research. The research performed by the NSSTC will cover the range of maturity from pure science to
technology development to mission operations and data analysis.
The NSSTC will be implemented through the following seven science research centers:
1. SPACE SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER The Space Science Research Center will consist of researchers in solar
physics, astrophysics, astrobiology, space plasma physics, and high-energy plasma physics. Major research areas
include high-energy astrophysics (gamma and x-ray astronomy and cosmic ray physics) and solar-terrestrial physics
(solar and space plasma physics and planetary atmospheres). Primary customers for this unit will include NASA's OSS
(Structure and Evolution of the Universe, Origins, and Sun-Earth Connection themes), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Defense, National Science Foundation (NSF), and the
Department of Energy.
2. GLOBAL HYDROLOGY AND CLIMATE CENTER The Global Hydrology and Climate Center will consist of
researchers in the global hydrology and climate science disciplines. Research associated with the energy and water cycle
of the atmosphere and exchanges between the land, oceans and atmosphere will be performed. Major research areas
include troposphere winds and dynamics, lightning and severe storms, passive and active microwave measurements of
the atmosphere, water vapor and aerosol measurements, monitoring climate variability, regional and climate modeling,
atmospheric chemistry, land use change, urban impacts, and archeological uses of remote sensing. In addition to Energy
and Water Cycle research, the Earth Science unit, through the Global Hydrology and Climate Center, has strong
outreach, education, and application components building on the science activity. Primary customers will be the NASA's
Office of Earth Science, the Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA, and NSF.
3. MATERIALS SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER The Materials Science Research Center will be organized into
focused research product teams that optimize materials science advancement to provide materials technologies that meet
and exceed performance requirements for today's cutting edge space transportation and space science programs. Major
areas of interest will include electronic and photonic materials, composite fiber development, polymer research,
lightweight alloy development, materials characterization and producibility of in-space manufactured structures, and
materials development for space environmental durability, including radiation shielding, electronic and opto-electronic
materials, bio-materials, oxides and ceramics, polymeric and nano-materials. Primary customers for this center will
include NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Program and NASA's Space Science Enterprise.
4. BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CENTER The Biotechnology Research Center (BRC) will pursue the goals of
Science in the National Interest by providing research in Biotechnology to complement the HEDS activity. The scientists
and engineers of the BRC, working in collaboration with NASA and industrial scientists, will conduct research in
selected areas of biotechnology of interest and importance to NASA. The BRC will obtain new knowledge in biological
and chemical systems, and where feasible, facilitate the application of that knowledge to commercially viable products
and processes. The primary customers of the BRC are the National Research Community (Principal and Guest
Investigators), National Science Community (Academia, Industry, Government), HEDS Enterprise Code U and Code
M, and MSFC Space Product Development Department.
5. ADVANCED OPTICS AND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTER The Advanced Optics and Energy Technology Center
will consist of researchers and engineers focused on advanced research and development in the areas of optical analysis,
design, fabrication, engineering, testing and metrology of optical components and systems. Other areas of research will
include optoelectronic components and systems for lightweight compact optical information processing and high-speed
optical communications. Additionally, optical scientists and engineers will provide enabling support to other NSSTC units,
other NASA centers, other government agencies, and industry customers. The work of this center will be fully integrated with
graduate and undergraduate education in optical science and engineering as well as supporting a K-12 optics outreach
program.
6. PROPULSION RESEARCH CENTER The Propulsion Research Center will consist of scientists in the propulsion
area performing basic and applied research in propulsion science, providing a foundation for advancements in
earth-to-orbit and in-space propulsion. These scientists may be from NASA, other government agencies, universities,
or the private sector. Primary customers for this unit will include NASA's Advanced Space Transportation Program
and various other advanced technology programs sponsored by the U.S. government.
7. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CENTER The Information Technology Research Center (ITRC)
will perform research and development in data, information and knowledge areas in multiple scales and disciplines, as
well as address associated high performance networking issues. Basic and applied research will be performed to
develop new computational techniques and systems that ultimately solve real-world problems by the transfer of
innovative technologies and knowledge. Students, faculty and research scientists will be involved in all aspects of ITRC.
Interested parties should contact Lisa Messer at 256-961-7805 to obtain a detailed package of information regarding the
Scope of Work for each discipline research center and the skill or capability shortfall of each.
Interested parties should provide a 'capabilities' statement that should include as a minimum but not be limited to the
following:
A. An overview of the organization, B. Specific capabilities (skills and/or facilities) the organization can provide to one or
more of the discipline research centers, C. Rationale as to the importance of these capabilities and how they complement
the NSSTC skills, D. Self-assessment as to the strength these capabilities will add to the NSSTC, E. Resumes on key
personnel, F. Descriptions of facilities which could contribute to the NSSTC research areas, and G. Current or similar
endeavors with customers to substantiate experience.
A panel of scientists and engineers will review the information to determine the list of respondents that best meets the
NSSTC needs. These organizations will be invited to the NSSTC to make a formal presentation of their capabilities, to
respond to questions, and to obtain clarification regarding the NSSTC and its research centers.
The format of the capabilities statement is at the discretion of the respondent. Provide 10 copies of the capabilities
statement.
Capabilities statements will be received through July 31, 2005.
