Instrument Interface Design and Analyses Work for NASA’s Boeing 777 Aircraft

Summary (Newest Update)

Background NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is seeking to leverage previous design and analysis work to develop mechanical structural interfaces for microwave instruments intended for airborne science on the NASA Boeing 777 aircraft. The goal of this contract is to ensure that the Microwave Barometric Radar and Sounder (MBARS), Configurable Scanning Submillimeter-wave Instrument/Radiometer (CoSSIR), and Conical Scanning Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (CoSMIR) can be effectively integrated into the aircraft's cargo hold, ensuring compliance with structural integrity requirements. Work Details The contractor will perform the following tasks: 1. Conduct a mechanical analysis of the MBARS 18.5-inch Gaussian optics lens antenna (GOLA) for airborne deployments, updating prior analyses based on NASA’s Boeing 777 Design Requirements Document 7-000-STDR-801 Draft. This includes: a. Adding a margin of safety (MS) table based on cargo bay limits; b. Validating the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model according to section 4.1 of the draft document. This deliverable will involve two reviews with the NASA engineering team and one post-review revision of the mechanical analysis document. 2. Design a hermetic bulkhead enclosure for the MBARS GOLA antenna, ensuring it holds the antenna at two degrees off-nadir in the aft direction, while interfacing with the Community Instrument Plate without interfering with aircraft structural elements. Place of Performance The contract work will be performed in relation to NASA's Boeing 777 aircraft.