HUNTSVILLE, AL- May 20, 2020 - Teledyne Brown Engineering is on a team selected as one of two awardees of a NASA Astrophysics Explorer Mission of Opportunity Phase A study. NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate (SMD) selected a team consisting of The University of New Hampshire, Southwest Research Institute, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Teledyne Brown Engineering, and University of Alabama in Huntsville as one of two awardees for an upcoming Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity. The selected teams are to perform work over the next year to prepare for a final down-select determined by NASA Headquarters SMD.
The team’s proposed LargE Area burst Polarimeter (LEAP), would be mounted on the International Space Station (ISS) to study the energetic jets launched in gamma-ray bursts, explosive events that are thought to represent the death of a massive star, or the merger of compact objects such as neutron stars. LEAP's measurements of polarization in gamma-ray bursts could distinguish between competing theories for the nature of the jets, which move at close to the speed of light. LEAP’s goals and objectives are consistent with NASA’s 2018 Strategic Plan including the expansion of human knowledge through new scientific discoveries, and understanding the Sun, Earth, Solar System and Universe.
Teledyne Brown Engineering will work as a contractor to the Science and Technology Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, during the Phase A effort. The company will provide systems engineering support and hardware development for the mission. The major responsibilities include integration of the science instrument on the launch vehicle and ISS, systems safety analysis, interface verification, and structural hardware design, analysis, and fabrication.
“Teledyne Brown Engineering is honored to be selected as part of a team for a major astrophysics science mission,” stated the company’s president Jan Hess. “Our experience developing, integrating and operating our Multiple User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES) platform for the ISS along with multiple other NASA mission support programs has afforded us the chance to perform this work on a new instrument package to further our understanding of the universe.”
Work for this study will begin as early as April 2020. The program scope will increase if the mission is selected post Phase A which is planned for mid-2021.
About Teledyne Brown Engineering
Teledyne Brown Engineering is an industry leader in full-spectrum engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions for harsh environments in space, defense, energy, and maritime industries. For over six decades, the company has successfully delivered innovative systems, integration, operations and technology development worldwide. For more information about Teledyne Brown Engineering visit: www.tbe.com.
About Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies' operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies' website at www.teledyne.com.
