CLEVELAND - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is requesting input from industry and research organizations on the development of a 10-kilowatt Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) Power Conversion System (PCS) prototype to support future space-based fission surface power systems.
The agency issued a request for information (RFI) aimed at identifying capable sources to design, manufacture, and test a CBC PCS unit. The effort is part of NASA’s goal to demonstrate reliable, long-duration surface power systems for missions to the Moon and Mars.
The prototype will serve two primary purposes: to inform system-level requirements for a future flight-qualified fission power system, and to provide a testbed for long-term hardware evaluation and alternate configuration testing, including integration with power management and distribution (PMAD) components.
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High temp
According to the RFI, the system must achieve a nominal turbine inlet temperature of 1,100 to 1,200 Kelvin, a water coolant supply temperature near 375 Kelvin, and deliver approximately 10 kilowatts of electrical power. While the system should be based on technologies compatible with a notional 10-year mission life, the delivered prototype is not expected to meet full life-duration requirements.
NASA expects the contractor to deliver a complete electrically heated CBC PCS test loop, including instrumentation for performance verification, a gas management system to supply working fluid, and electronics to control the alternator and the heater. Once delivered, the test article will be integrated into NASA’s ground test infrastructure, including data acquisition systems and a water cooling supply.
The agency plans for hardware delivery within 18 months of contract award. As part of the RFI, NASA is also asking respondents to comment on the feasibility of manufacturing or procuring major custom-designed components - specifically the turbo-alternator-compressor (TAC) and heat exchangers - within that timeframe.
This request is for information only; no solicitation currently exists. If a formal solicitation is issued, it will be published on SAM.gov, and interested parties are responsible for monitoring that site for updates.
Capability statements, limited to three pages, must be submitted electronically no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT on 2 June 2025 to Linda M. Nabors at [email protected]. Comments on manufacturing feasibility do not count toward the three-page limit. All correspondence should reference announcement number 80GRC025R7013.
Jamie Whitney
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