Procurement Opportunity Document (POD) for Heliophysics Medium Explorer Spacecraft and/or Instrument Booms

In partnership with the Principal Investigator (PI)-led team, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is developing a mission concept to be proposed for the Heliophysics MIDEX AO. The mission will use nominally three (possibly four if the budget allows) identical observatories, each consisting of a spacecraft bus and five science instruments, flying in highly elliptical orbits. With multiple instruments mounted on booms, GSFC is also seeking one or more partners to provide two different booms for each spacecraft (6-8 total flight booms). The booms may be provided by the spacecraft partner, through a teaming arrangement with the spacecraft partner, or through a stand-alone partnership seperate from the spacecraft partner.

The partnership opportunity is being issued to select a teaming partner to serve as the satellite (spacecraft) integrator for the MIDEX mission and either the same or a second partner to provide instrument booms.

GSFC intends to maintain an essential degree of insight into satellite integration and will exercise essential oversight to ensure that the implementation is responsive to NASA requirements and constraints as defined in the upcoming AO (final release in 2025).

NOTE: Upon selection, GSFC may discuss, and further tailor the roles proposed by respondents in the best interests of the proposal.

The proposed mission is currently in pre-Phase A. If the proposal is downselected, the next step in the proposal process is a mission concept study culminating in a Concept Study Report (CSR), followed by a Site Visit.

The following schedule should be used a basis for responses to this opportunity:

Release of draft AO: FY2025 3rd quarter

Release of final AO: FY2025 4th quarter

Pre-proposal conference: ~3 weeks after final AO release

Step-1 proposal due: 90 days after AO release

Selection for competitive Phase A studies: Mid 2026

Concept Study Reports (CSRs) due: Early 2027

Step-2 downselect: Late 2027

AO required Launch Readiness Date: TBD based on AO, most likely 2032