Contract · Federal · No Set aside used

Autonomous Ion Mass Spectrometer Sentry (AIMSS)

Agency: ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF / ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF
Location: Los Alamos, NM
Amount: Amount not listed
Posted: Aug 12, 2026
Set-aside: No Set aside used
NAICS code: 927110 look up NAICS codes
PSC code: AR12

Timeline

Posted

Aug 12, 2026
Status

Open now

What contracts like this typically pay

No award history yet for this category (NAICS 927110).

What this contract is for

Agency: ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF / ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF
Location: Los Alamos, NM
Set-aside: No Set aside used
NAICS: 927110
Scope: Federal

Satellite measurements of plasma density and temperature help predict the intensity of geomagnetic storms, which can impact satellites, communications, and power systems.

Accurate forecasting requires knowledge of plasma composition.

However, typical orbital mass spectrometers have difficulty distinguishing between nitrogen (N+) and oxygen (O+) ions due to their similar masses.

This limitation makes it difficult to validate modern space weather models, which depend on accurate knowledge of ion composition in near-Earth space.

N+ and O+ ions behave differently in space due to differences in their origin, transport, and loss mechanisms.

Improving our ability to distinguish between these ions is critical for understanding and predicting space weather.

Advantages High mass resolution enables distinction between ion species that are typically unresolved in space-based measurements (e.g., N+ vs O+) Simultaneous measurement of multiple ion species for improved data collection efficiency Commandable ion throughput allows for high dynamic range without detector saturation Flight-qualified design with near-term on-orbit demonstration on the ISS Technology Description The AIMSS instrument uses electric and magnetic fields to sort ions first by energy and then by mass.

As ions move through the instrument, different species are separated and spread out across the detector as a spectrum, similar to how a prism separates white light into different colors.

First, incoming ions pass through two electrostatic energy filters (ESAs) located at the front of the sensor.

These filters allow only ions within a selected energy range to continue through the instrument.

By adjusting the voltage applied to each filter, AIMSS can control how many ions reach the detector and adapt to changing plasma density.

N...

Official solicitation and documents

The full solicitation, any attachments, and the actual submission instructions live on the official listing, not on this page. Oppward summarizes public record data; it does not host or mirror the source documents.

View the official listing on SAM.gov

Oppward is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SAM.gov or any government agency. This page is a plain-English summary of public record data; the linked source above is the authoritative listing.

How to bid on this

This is a contract solicitation, not a grant. To bid, you submit a proposal (usually a price and a description of how you would do the work) directly to the government, through the channel the official listing specifies, not through Oppward.

Make sure your business has an active SAM.gov registration. You cannot be paid on a federal contract without one.
Read the full solicitation on the official listing above, especially the scope of work, not just this summary. Our guide to reading a solicitation walks through what to look for.
Check the set-aside listed above and confirm your business actually qualifies for it before you spend time on a proposal. See our guide to set-asides if the category is unfamiliar.
Submit your proposal by the deadline, using the exact submission method the official listing states. A technically on-time bid sent the wrong way is often treated as late.