ROSBio Appendix A: Orion Exploration Mission-1 Research Pathfinder for Beyond Low Earth Orbit Space Biology Investigations | NNH18ZTT001N EM1

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH18ZTT001N EM1

This funding opportunity is a NASA Space Biology solicitation that supports hypothesis-driven experiments to be flown beyond low Earth orbit on Orion Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), an uncrewed lunar-orbit mission that was, at the time of release, tentatively planned for 2019. NASA's Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division (SLPSRAD) was given access to EM-1, and the Space Biology Program specifically set aside two internal payload locations inside the Orion capsule for biological investigations. The central aim is to use this rare deep-space flight opportunity as a "research pathfinder" to learn how living systems respond to conditions beyond LEO, where the radiation environment and mission profile differ substantially from what is typically available on the International Space Station.

The solicitation is issued as Appendix A under the broader "Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) - 2018" NASA Omnibus Research Announcement, and it asks applicants to propose studies that directly align with multiple guiding frameworks: NASA Strategic Objectives (especially Objective 1.2, understanding responses of physical and biological systems to spaceflight, and Objective 2.2, conducting exploration in deep space), relevant recommendations from the National Academies decadal survey, and NASA Space Biology research priorities. In practical terms, NASA is looking for experiments that can generate scientifically rigorous, testable insights about biological responses to deep-space stressors, rather than purely descriptive demonstrations. The announcement also makes clear that proposed organisms and experimental designs must fit within the "extreme environmental and technical constraints" of the EM-1 mission and must use the pre-defined experimental hardware described in the Appendix, meaning proposals need to be tightly engineered around fixed mass, volume, power, and operational limitations.

The application process is structured as a two-step submission and review. First, teams submit a Step-1 pre-proposal, which NASA uses to screen concepts and determine which applicants will be invited to submit a Step-2 full proposal. For this specific appendix, the Step-1 deadline was August 17, 2018 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, and the Step-2 full proposal deadline was September 24, 2018 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Step-1 submissions could be filed through either NSPIRES or Grants.gov, but Step-2 submissions were required to go through NSPIRES. NASA emphasizes that every organization and every team member listed on a proposal must be registered in NSPIRES, including the principal investigator and any co-investigators, and that the registration must correctly identify the organization’s authorized representative(s) who are permitted to submit proposals electronically. Because NSPIRES registration and proposal assembly can take time, applicants are urged to start well ahead of the deadlines.

From an award and eligibility standpoint, the opportunity is listed as discretionary funding and is open to an unrestricted pool of eligible applicants (with the caveat that any additional eligibility clarifications would be in the full text). Awards were to be made as grants or cooperative agreements, consistent with the announcement being a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2). The listing indicates an expected number of awards of about 8, with an award ceiling of $400,000. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 43.003, and the activity category is science and technology and other research and development. The funding opportunity number is NNH18ZTT001N EM1.

Administrative details in the notice point applicants to the full Appendix A document via NASA’s NSPIRES solicitations page (under Open Solicitations) and a short link provided in the text. Programmatic questions were directed to Dr. David L. Tomko, Program Scientist for Space Biology within NASA’s Life and Physical Sciences Division at NASA Headquarters, with contact information provided in the solicitation. Overall, the opportunity is narrowly focused on leveraging two limited Orion EM-1 internal payload slots to produce high-value, deep-space biology data that supports NASA’s longer-term human and robotic exploration goals beyond low Earth orbit.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "ROSBio Appendix A: Orion Exploration Mission-1 Research Pathfinder for Beyond Low Earth Orbit Space Biology Investigations" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.003.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 20, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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