DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER (DCL)Concepts for the Next NASA X-ray Astronomy MissionSolicitation number: NNH11ZDA018LRelease Date: September 13, 2011Response Date: October 28, 2011The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its Physics of the Cosmos(PCOS) Program is soliciting information through this Request for Information (RFI)pertaining to potential X-Ray astronomy missions. Specifically, NASA is seekinginformation that can be used to develop concepts that meet some or all of the scientificobjectives of the International X ray Observatory (IXO). Information being soughtincludes relevant mission concepts, instrument concepts, enabling technologies, or anyaspect of flight, ground or launch systems architecture.The PCOS Program Office will work with the science community to develop new X-rayastronomy mission concepts satisfying some or all of the scientific objectives listed inTable 1. Such scenarios might include one or more observatories. These scenarios willbe presented to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics(CAA) for consideration. Recommendations from the CAA will subsequently be used to guidedetailed development of scientific, technical, and cost information for some or all ofthese X-Ray mission concepts. Data from these concept studies will also be used toassess future technology needs for the Astrophysics Division. Information from thetechnology assessment will also be provided to the CAA. This Request for Information (RFI) is the first step in this process. Through this RFI,NASA is seeking information relevant to an X-ray astronomy mission concept or missionconcepts that will satisfy some or all the scientific objectives listed in Table 1. TheRFI also requests standalone instrument concepts as well as relevant key enablingtechnologies for such missions or instruments. Mission concepts should range in costfrom ~ $300M to $2,000M in FY12 dollars.The full text of the Dear Colleague Letter is posted on the NASA research opportunityhomepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select Solicitations then OpenSolicitations then NNH11ZDA018L). For further information on this RFI, please contact Jean Cottam, PCOS Chief Scientist, [email protected]. You may also contact the NASA HQ PCOS program officers, JayaBajpayee, PCOS Program Executive, at [email protected], and Rita Sambruna, PCOSProgram Scientist, at [email protected]. Please check http://pcos.gsfc.nasa.gov/ for the most up to date information on the PCOS Program.

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