SP24-03 - Underwater Astronaut Trainer (UAT) Restoration

Purpose:   The purpose of this RFP is to have interested and qualified vendors provide a sealed bid providing cost and details for the renovation of the UAT tank as outlined by the structural engineer of record, KPFF, per the provided plans and drawings. The Underwater Astronaut Trainer Tank is located at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, One Tranquility Base, Huntsville, Alabama 35805. Drawings will be provided upon request. Contact Rick Wheeler via email at (rick.wheeler@kpff.com) with KPFF Consulting Engineers or Sam Mitchell, Director of Procurement for the USSRC at (samm.spacecamp.com) to obtain a copy of the construction documents.
Scope of Work:  The project's goal is to repair the damage to the UAT caused by long-term usage, mitigate potential future issues, and the fabrication of additional UAT Tank necessities.
Dive Tank Basic Information:

• Inner tank diameter – 29’ 5 ¼”
• Depth – 23’ 8”
• Tank volume – 120,493 gallons
• Water weight 1,004,912 pounds
• Wall construction – 3/8” plate steel (seam welded)
• Floor construction – ¼” plate steel (lap welded)
• Tank sits on the building’s concrete floor`

• Tank liner is failing (number of rust spots showing & leaks have occurred)
• Tank windows are crazing/cracking (algae has formed in the windows) Water circulating rate in the tank is below proper water change out rates.
• UAT chemical levels are frequently out of desired range.
• Platform around tank holds water and allows water to leak to lower floors.
• Equipment rinse tank plumbing tends to leak, needs upgrading.
• It is difficult to remove large objects from the tank (done by hand)
• Tank is isolated (not grounded)
• Tank circulation plumbing needs to be updated (has been patched, added to, modified)
• Tank ladders, steps, & platforms corroding needing weld repairs, cleaning, protective coating

1. The tank shall be drained on or about November 27, 2023.
2. The tank shall be refilled on or about March 3, 2024, ready for use (at temperature & proper chemical balance).
3. The old liner shall be removed/stripped from the tank.
4. The portal windows shall be removed from the tank.
5. All seals (windows, manway, etc.) shall be replaced with the tank sealing surfaces being inspected/repaired to assure proper sealing.
6. The cleaned (liner removed) tank wall shall be inspected for any holes or weak spots in the wall and floor.  This includes rust removal for inspection purposes.
7. Minor surface rust shall not be an issue of concern. Note: Minor surface rust is defined as rust which has not penetrated the wall material and can be brushed away with a light sanding.
8. All tank wall and floor defects shall be recorded describing location, defect size, estimated penetration, inspection concern, etc.
9. The tank wall and floor shall be repaired using lap welding technique to bring tank back to original drawing conditions.  Other methods of repairing may be used but shall be comparable or better than lap welding.
10. Patches shall be appropriate materials to match wall or floor material/thickness.
11. The tank wall and floor shall be lined with an appropriate material to last 20 years, allowing for maintenance to the lining.
12. Where platforms and structures will contact the lining, protective abrasion plates shall be installed to protect the lining.
13. The lining shall be maintainable without draining the tank.
14. If a painted lining is used, the lining shall be 30 to 40 mils in thickness.
15. The color of the lining shall be white (HEX F8F8FF) on the wall and grey (HEX D8D8D8) on the tank floor.
16. Tank filtration/circularization plumbing system shall be assessed and updated to achieve a 6-hour tank water change over.
17. All plumbing lines shall be properly marked to indicate basic info (i.e., direction, pressure, fluid, etc.).
18. Current plumbing components may be used in the new system if deemed in good condition and have an expected life of >15 years.
19. Pressure gauges and low meters shall be added to the plumbing circularization system to determine system performance.
20. Depth markings shall be added to the tank lining (e.g., hash marks every one foot and numbers every five feet.)
21. Depth markings shall be labeled in both feet and metric (meters).
22. Depth markings and any other markings shall be in “Space Camp” red.
23. An eight-foot diameter “USSRC UAT” logo shall be added to the tank interior wall.
24. The deck surrounding the top of the tank shall be sealed and painted (as a minimum) to prevent leaks to lower floors.
25. Replace all porthole windows with 1 ¼” polycarbonate plates.
26. Platforms, ladders, and practice structures shall be removed from the tank prior to draining the tank.
27. Platforms, ladders, and practice structures shall be installed into the tank once the tank has been refilled.
28. Platforms, steps, and ladders must be reattached.
29. Tank shall be attached to a ground-to-earth (currently not grounded).
30. Electrical services around the perimeter of the tank area shall be upgraded to ground fault circuits.
31. A minimum of 8 standard 110 Vac outlets shall be spaced around the tank area perimeter.
32. The electrical circuit shall be a 20-amp circuit.
33. The circuit shall be ground fault protected.
34. All plumbing inlets and outlets in the tank shall have anti entrapment covers, which shall not greatly affect water flow rates into or out of the tank.
35. The tank perimeter gutter shall be inspected and repaired, bringing it back to original configuration.

1. A rail trolly system will be installed over the tank allowing a hoist to be conveyed from the tank area to the overlook to the main museum floor.
2. The rail trolly system will be connected to the museum building ceiling beam system.
3. The hoist and rail trolly system will have a minimum capacity of 2,000 pounds.
4. The trolley will be manually operated.
5. The hoist will be electrically operated.
6. HVAC ducting will be redirected as needed to allow rail placement/operation.
7. The hoist will have a minimum cable lift length of 35 feet.
8. A minimum of 10 feet of fence barrier between museum mezzanine and UAT walkway will be modified for removal and replacement when using the hoist/trolly system.
9. A minimum of 10 feet of fence barrier between UAT tank area and UAT walkway will be modified for removal and replacement when using the hoist/trolly system.
10. Tank fence access gate will be fitted with a closure device to close the gate and latch.
11. Upgrade 3 of the main floor portals and 2 of the mid-level portholes with domed polycarbonate windows.  Domed windows shall be thick enough/resilient to the depth of 38 feet and a diver push off force of 120 pounds.
12. Guard railing will be added to the ends of the submerged platforms to aid in keeping trainees from “falling” over the edge of the platforms.
13. Steps and platforms will be coated in a material which is compatible with the tank environment, inhibit structure corrosion, and reduce slipping (example material could be Rhino, Line-X, etc.).
14. Deck flooring around the top of the tank will be configured to:
    1. Reduce/eliminate standing water.
    2. Surface be non-slip.
    3. Eliminating leaking to lower floors
    4. Keep water from running into walkways around tank area.
15. Accessible external tank surfaces will be covered with a ¾” to 1” insulation to reduce energy loss from the 95°F water to the 68°F office space next to the tank.
16. A second electric hoist with a 500 lb. capability will be mounted close to the edge of the tank to aid in diver entrance/exit to the tank.  It is desired that the hoist has a high rate of operation.

1. The equipment rinse station to be replumbed to correct leaks.
2. A Reverse Osmoses unit to be added to the water supply on the equipment rinse station.
3. An additional ladder to be added which conforms to Sea Trek ladder parameters.
4. A hydro elevator is to be added to aid in the use of Sea Trek and make the tank handicap accessible.
5. An underwater sound and camera system to be added to the tank.  These will aid in the operation and safety of tank training operations.
6. Add a swimsuit dryer to support tank operations.
7. Add a stackable washer and dryer to support tank operations.
8. A set of lockable wire frame cages with the dimensions of 2.5 feet wide by 3 feet tall by 2 feet deep each is needed.  There needs to be 8 cages stacked on two levels.  The cages will not impede the draining of water on the platform.