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Commercial and US Government Launch Vehicles => NGIS (Formerly Orbital ATK) - Antares/Cygnus Section => Topic started by: Targeteer on 11/03/2017 01:39 am

Title: Long Duration Propulsive ESPA contract
Post by: Targeteer on 11/03/2017 01:39 am
http://www.losangeles.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1361775/air-force-awards-contract-for-new-rideshare-capability-on-space-launch-missions/#.Wfuzr1Z8SFY.facebook

Air Force Awards Contract for New Rideshare Capability on Space Launch Missions

SMC Public Affairs / Published November 02, 2017
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LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --

The Space and Missile Systems Center has awarded the Long Duration Propulsive Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Payload Adapters (ESPA) (LDPE) procurement contract to Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Systems Division for $33,982,424.

 

The LDPE contract requires an EELV-compatible payload adapter with power, attitude control and propulsive capabilities, integration services for Government furnished payloads, and one year of early orbit checkout and operations.  The contract includes options for two additional LDPE systems that would be manifested on future AFSPC missions.

“With the LDPE program, we are not only increasing the number of rideshare opportunities for secondary satellite payloads, but we are also taking it to the next level by providing a flexible payload adapter alternative for rideshare payloads to utilize,” said Col. John Anttonen, SMC’s Advanced Systems and Development Director.

 

This SMC initiative responds to the Air Force Space Command standard service policy that requires rideshare services on launch missions when feasible.  The foundational technology for the LDPE is the EELV Secondary Payload Adapters, or ESPA, which is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) initiative to host additional secondary payloads on primary spacecraft launch missions.  The core technology for this capability is the ESPA, a ring payload adapter designed to support a primary payload and host small satellites attached to six ports.  Launch missions have carried an ESPA several times beginning with the Space Test Program-1 (STP-1) mission in 2007.

SMC, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force's Center of Acquisition Excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes the Global Positioning System, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space based infrared systems and space situational awareness capabilities.

Media representatives can submit questions for response regarding this topic by sending an e-mail to [email protected].
Title: Re: Long Duration Propulsive ESPA contract
Post by: gongora on 11/03/2017 02:16 am
How many levels of nested acronyms do you need in one procurement?  I'm not having much luck finding the RFP for this, but found an RFI on govtribe.
Title: Re: Long Duration Propulsive ESPA contract
Post by: Skyrocket on 01/03/2021 04:38 pm
The LPDE program has been renamed ROOSTER (Rapid On-Orbit Space Technology and Evaluation Ring). Nevertheless, the name LPDE keeps also be used for the first three missions.

https://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/Portals/84/documents/FY21/PROCUREMENT_/FY21%20Space%20Force%20Procurement_1.pdf?ver=2020-02-10-145330-537

http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2020/07-July/22-Jul-2020/FBO-05725940.htm
Title: Re: Long Duration Propulsive ESPA contract
Post by: Jansen on 02/05/2021 03:55 pm
https://www.losangeles.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2445614/ldpe-1-sv-safely-arrives-in-florida-for-february-launch/

Quote
The U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) successfully delivered the Long Duration Propulsion ESPA - 1 (LDPE-1) space vehicle, to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida on Dec 7, 2020. LDPE-1 is the first of two spacecraft on the Space Test Program 3 (STP-3) mission, slated to launch on February 26, 2021.

LDPE-1 was safely transported from Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Gilbert, Arizona, to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The delivery of LDPE-1 marks a milestone for the STP-3 mission, leading to the scheduled launch date of February 26, 2021. The satellite will be processed at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Florida to ensure full functionality and prepare for propellant loading. At the completion of these activities, the satellite will be mated to the STPSat-6 satellite and the two space vehicles will be integrated to a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 launch vehicle.

“The delivery of the LDPE-1 satellite is a great accomplishment and puts our team one step closer to fulfilling our mission,” said Col. Timothy Sejba, SMC’s Program Executive Officer for Space Development. “The LDPE-1 team members have displayed professionalism, hard work and dedication from across all parts of the country. The delivery of LDPE-1 brings us another step closer to advancing rideshare capabilities.”

LDPE provides a standardized, satellite bus that can host multiple payloads on any National Security Space Launch mission with available mass margin. This platform extends the United States Space Force’s standard service policy for affordable rideshare and provides the DoD with the capability to leverage available mass margin with minimal non-recurring engineering between each launch on which it is utilized due to its modular bus design and standard interfaces.

Launch delayed to Q2.