Mini-Aercam Rush Procurement

– NASA Presolicitation Notice: Mini-Aercam Cold Gas Thruster Valve
– NASA Presolicitation Notice: Mini-Aercam Pressure Tank
– NASA Presolicitation Notice: Mini-Aercam Communications Antenna

“The Aercam is a Return to Flight item and is on a very tight schedule. Due to the current tight scheduling for AERCam, the fact that AERCam is Return to Flight, and the subsequent runs required for this design, there cannot be any delays to the schedule or duplicative costs.”

Editor’s note: When did Mini-Aercam become an RTF Item? RTF (STS-114) is now planned for NET 13 July 2005. That’s 45 days from today. It was originally planned for the third week in May. A check of recent NASA procurement notices show none issued for Aercam work in 2005. Why wasn’t this series of procurement notices issued in, say, early April 2005, a similar period of time before the original RTF date? Did NASA suddenly find a problem with Mini-Aercam – or was Aercam added as a RTF item in the past few weeks? In a press event a year or so ago, I asked a JSC official specifically why this (very cool) system was not being used for RTF. They said that it was not being funded for RTF, but could not provide a reason why.

Editor’s update: I got a call from NASA HQ PAO. Even though this officially released and published procurement notice clearly states “The Aercam is a Return to Flight item”, etc., the Mini-aercam is NOT a “Return to Flight” item in the sense that the agency generally uses the phrase “Return to Flight” i.e. STS-114, -121, etc. Moreover, according to PAO, this project is not being funded as a “Return to Flight” activity. Curiously, JSC has yet to yank – or modify this procurement notice.

Editor’s 3 June Update: JSC has clarified the issue.

Modification to a Previous NASA Notice: Mini-Aercam Communications Antenna

“The purpose of this modification is to clarify that the project need date for the Mini AERCam is not based on the near-term return to flight schedule, i.e. July 2005.”