RFI - Mission Integration Prime for Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) Series Satellites

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on behalf of NOAA's Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) Program. It seeks market intelligence, technical approaches, and Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost considerations for a potential future procurement related to the GeoXO mission-critical weather satellite program. This RFI is for informational purposes only and is not a request for proposals or a solicitation.

The GeoXO program is the follow-on to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R series, with an initial launch planned for 2032. It is a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA to provide continuous weather imagery and monitoring. The acquisition includes spacecraft, instruments, launch services, mission operations, and ground systems.

The government is exploring a "Mission Integration Prime" (MIP) capability to manage and perform mission integration functions. This includes:

• Launch Vehicle Services: Procuring two launch vehicles, managing launch campaigns, and performing satellite-to-launch vehicle integration.
• Payload Processing Services: Providing a payload processing facility, managing processing, and supporting satellite launch site processing.
• Mission Operations Services: Operating mission facilities, ground systems, and antennas for 10 years of on-orbit operations for each satellite, including command and control, data downlink, and L1b science product generation.
• Anomaly Investigation and Recovery: Investigating and recovering from satellite anomalies.
• Special Engineering Analysis Tasks: Performing analysis as requested.

Respondents are requested to provide:

• Vendor capabilities and experience in the above areas.
• Implementation approach and ROM costs for each service area.
• Assessment of complexity, challenges, and risks for a firm-fixed-price contract.
• Recommended alternative MIP concepts, including benefits and cost differences.
• Suggestions for acquisition changes or other insights.

Responses are limited to 30 pages (excluding front matter).

• Draft RFP Release: Early 2027
• Final RFP Release: Summer 2027
• Contract Award: January 2028

Available GFE resources include:

• Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS) and Consolidated Back-Up (CBU).
• NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF).
• NOAA Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) ground system.
• NOAA NESDIS Common Cloud Framework (NCCF).

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI seeks market intelligence, technical approaches, and rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) cost considerations for a potential future procurement related to the NOAA Geostationary Earth Orbit (GeoXO) Program. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), on behalf of NOAA, is looking for qualified vendors to provide "Mission Integration Prime" (MIP) capabilities for GeoXO series satellites. This RFI is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a request for proposals or a solicitation for a contract.

• Launch Vehicle Services: Procuring two launch vehicles, managing launch campaigns, and handling satellite-to-launch vehicle integration.
• Payload Processing Services: Providing a payload processing facility, managing processing, and supporting spacecraft, launch vehicle, and instrument vendors.
• Mission Operations Services: Operating GeoXO satellites for 10 years on-orbit, including mission readiness, command and control, uplink/downlink, generating Level 1b science products, and performing end-of-life de-commissioning.
• Anomaly Investigation and Recovery: Investigating and responding to satellite anomalies.
• Special Engineering Analysis Tasks: Performing tasks as requested by the Government.

The RFI outlines a potential acquisition timeline:

• Draft RFP Release: Early 2027
• Final RFP Release: Summer 2027
• Contract Award: January 2028

The primary contract type is anticipated to be Firm Fixed Price (FFP), with Anomaly Investigation and Recovery potentially being Time and Materials.

Vendors are requested to provide:

• Descriptions of their capabilities and prior experience in the areas listed above.
• Their proposed implementation approach.
• Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) costs for each service area, broken out by satellite and fiscal year.
• An assessment of complexity, challenges, and risks.
• Recommendations for alternative MIP Operations Concepts, including benefits and cost differences.
• Suggestions for changes to the acquisition and any other relevant insights.

Responses are limited to no more than 30 pages.

Not specified in this RFI.

• The GeoXO program is the follow-on to the GOES-R series, with the initial launch planned for 2032.
• The RFI details specific requirements for launch vehicles (mass, volume, orbit), payload processing facilities (timeline, space, cleanroom), and mission operations (communication links).
• Available Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) resources are listed, including command and data acquisition stations, satellite operations facilities, and ground systems. Vendors incorporating GFE should include implementation costs and cost differences/savings.

Request for Information (RFI)

This RFI is issued by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on behalf of NOAA's Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) Program to gather market intelligence for a potential future procurement. The government is seeking information on qualified vendors capable of providing mission integration and operations support for the GeoXO mission-critical weather satellite. This includes launch services, payload processing, mission operations, ground systems, and antenna services. The goal is to inform the acquisition strategy for the GeoXO program, which is the follow-on to the GOES-R series, with the initial launch planned for 2032.

• Launch Vehicle Services: Procuring two launch vehicles, managing launch campaigns, and integrating satellites with launch vehicles.
• Payload Processing Services: Providing a payload processing facility, managing processing, and supporting spacecraft fueling and testing.
• Mission Operations Services: Operating mission operations facilities, ground systems, and antennas for 10 years post-launch for each satellite. This includes pre-launch readiness, command and control, uplink/downlink, data processing (Level 0 and Level 1b science products), and end-of-life decommissioning.
• Anomaly Investigation and Recovery: Investigating satellite anomalies and executing approved response plans.
• Special Engineering Analysis Tasks: Performing tasks as requested by the government.

The government is analyzing alternative Mission Integration Prime (MIP) approaches and will use responses to inform the selection of the optimal approach. The acquisition timeline includes a Draft RFP Release in Early 2027, Final RFP Release in Summer 2027, and Contract Award in January 2028.

Respondents are requested to provide:

• Vendor implementation approach and Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) costs for Launch Vehicle Services, Payload Processing Services, and Mission Operations Services.
• Descriptions of capabilities and prior experience in these areas.
• An assessment of complexity, challenges, and risks for a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract.
• Recommended alternative MIP concepts, including benefits and cost differences.
• Suggestions for changes to the acquisition and other insights.

Responses are limited to 20 pages.

Not specified in this RFI.

• The GeoXO satellites will provide continuous, mission-critical weather data. High availability, operational resilience, and rapid anomaly response are essential.
• The government is also seeking vendor-recommended alternatives to the proposed MIP Operations Concept, including alternative contract structures and the use of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE).
• GFE resources include the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station (WCDAS), NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF), NOAA GEO ground system, and NOAA NESDIS Common Cloud Framework (NCCF).

Other / Unclassified

This document, titled "GeoXO Mission Integration Prime: Concept and Alternatives," dated March 25, 2026, outlines the proposed "Mission Integration Prime" (MIP) contract for the GeoXO mission. It details the scope of the MIP contract, which will provide launch services, mission operations, and ground systems for GeoXO, replacing functions previously handled by the government for GOES missions. The document also presents preliminary alternatives to the MIP concept and identifies key objectives for the MIP contractor, including defining roles and responsibilities.

This document is relevant to potential bidders as it introduces the GeoXO Mission Integration Prime (MIP) contract, expected to be awarded in early 2028. It outlines the scope of work, which includes launch services, mission operations, and ground systems. The document also details the anticipated schedule, with an RFI release in March 2026, a draft RFP in early 2027, a final RFP in Summer 2027, and an award in early 2028. It highlights that the MIP concept is still in formulation and that alternatives are being considered, with an RFI to solicit industry feedback. The document also breaks down the roles and responsibilities of various contractors (MIP, S/C, Instrument) across different mission phases (Pre-Launch, LOR, PLT, Operational, Deactivation) and presents several alternatives for ground systems and launch services, providing insight into potential contract structures and requirements.