Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH11ZUA001N
Apply for NNH11ZUA001N
- The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Stage Innovation NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.009 Cross Agency Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 10, 2011 and posted on Mar 2, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 16, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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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Opportunity Summary:
The Early Stage Innovation NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NNH11ZUA001N) is a NASA Research Announcement issued by NASA Headquarters to fund early, high-risk studies of breakthrough ideas that could dramatically expand what is possible in aeronautics or space. The program sits within NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) and is specifically designed to support multiple initial studies rather than late-stage development. In other words, NIAC is looking for bold mission, architecture, or system concepts that are still far from flight readiness but have credible technical foundations and the potential for major impact.
A key requirement is that proposed concepts must be extremely early in their maturity, roughly "10 years out" and aligned with Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1, 2, or early 3. NIAC emphasizes innovation and vision: the idea should represent a substantial leap rather than a gradual improvement. The announcement makes this point plainly by stating that focused technology maturation and incremental advancement are not what the program wants to fund. Even though NIAC is willing to take on the higher risk that comes with transformative ideas, proposals still need to be technically substantiated and consistent with sound scientific principles. The goal is not science fiction, but credible, well-argued concepts that could become feasible with sustained research and development.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is open to an unrestricted pool of applicants (subject to any eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation), and it can be funded through several instrument types, including cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA listing provided is 43.009 (Cross Agency Support). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the barrier for early-stage teams that may not have large non-federal resources to contribute.
Applicants are required to submit proposals electronically through NASA's NSPIRES system (the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System) at http://nspires.nasaprs.com. The solicitation was made available around March 1, 2011 via the NASA Research Opportunities site, accessible by navigating to Solicitations and then Open Solicitations. A proposal data submission milestone is referenced for March 29, 2011, and the main proposal due date is stated as on or before May 2, 2011. The source data also shows the closing date later extended, with a current closing date of May 16, 2011, and an archive date of June 1, 2011. The posting date is March 2, 2011, with a creation date listed as May 10, 2011.
For questions, the point of contact is Dr. John (Jay) Falker, identified as the NIAC POC. Inquiries can be sent by email to hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov. Responses are handled by email and also rolled into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document posted on the NSPIRES page for the solicitation, with the agency noting that the anonymity of individuals and institutions submitting questions will be preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Early Stage Innovation NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Early Stage Innovation NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) solicitation, a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) issued by NASA Headquarters. It supports early, high-risk studies of breakthrough ideas that could dramatically expand what is possible in aeronautics or space.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is NNH11ZUA001N.
Which NASA office runs NIAC?
NIAC sits within NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT).
What is NIAC trying to fund?
NIAC is looking for bold mission, architecture, or system concepts that are still far from flight readiness but have credible technical foundations and the potential for major impact. The emphasis is on innovation and vision rather than incremental improvement.
Is NIAC intended for late-stage development or flight-ready projects?
No. NIAC is specifically designed to support multiple initial studies rather than late-stage development. Proposed concepts are expected to be far from flight readiness.
How early-stage must the concept be?
Concepts must be extremely early in maturity, described as roughly "10 years out" and aligned with Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1, 2, or early 3.
What TRLs are targeted by this solicitation?
The solicitation targets TRL 1, TRL 2, or early TRL 3 concepts.
Does NIAC fund incremental technology maturation?
No. The announcement explicitly states that focused technology maturation and incremental advancement are not what the program wants to fund.
How does NIAC balance high risk with technical credibility?
While NIAC is willing to take on higher risk associated with transformative ideas, proposals still need to be technically substantiated and consistent with sound scientific principles. The intent is to fund credible, well-argued concepts rather than science fiction.
What types of concepts are a good fit?
Concepts that represent a substantial leap in capability (for example, a radically new mission concept, architecture, or system approach) and that could become feasible with sustained research and development, while remaining grounded in credible technical reasoning.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is open to an unrestricted pool of applicants, subject to any eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation.
What funding instrument types may be used?
The opportunity may be funded through several instrument types, including cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is science and technology and other research and development.
What is the CFDA number listed for this program?
The CFDA listing provided is 43.009 (Cross Agency Support).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How do applicants submit proposals?
Applicants must submit proposals electronically through NASA's NSPIRES system (NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System) at http://nspires.nasaprs.com.
Where was the solicitation posted?
The solicitation was made available via the NASA Research Opportunities site by navigating to Solicitations and then Open Solicitations. It is also associated with the NSPIRES page for the solicitation.
When was the solicitation made available and posted?
The solicitation was made available around March 1, 2011. The posting date is listed as March 2, 2011.
What were the key submission dates mentioned?
A proposal data submission milestone is referenced for March 29, 2011. The main proposal due date is stated as on or before May 2, 2011. The closing date was later extended, with a current closing date of May 16, 2011. An archive date of June 1, 2011 is also listed.
Which date should applicants treat as the final deadline based on the information provided?
The source information indicates the closing date was extended, with a current closing date of May 16, 2011. The text also notes an earlier due date of on or before May 2, 2011, so applicants would need to follow the updated closing date shown for the solicitation.
Who is the point of contact for questions?
The point of contact is Dr. John (Jay) Falker, identified as the NIAC POC.
What email address should be used for inquiries?
Inquiries can be sent to hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov.
How are questions and answers handled?
Responses are handled by email and also rolled into a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document posted on the NSPIRES page for the solicitation.
Will my identity be disclosed if I submit a question?
No. The agency notes that the anonymity of individuals and institutions submitting questions will be preserved when responses are incorporated into the posted FAQ.
What is the overall goal of NIAC funding?
The goal is to explore credible, early-stage concepts that, if matured through sustained research and development, could lead to major advances in aeronautics or space capabilities.
What does NIAC mean by "not science fiction"?
It means proposals should be grounded in sound scientific principles and provide technical substantiation. The idea can be bold and high-risk, but it should be credible and well-argued rather than purely speculative.
What system should applicants use to find solicitation-specific updates and the posted FAQ?
Applicants should use the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation to access the posted FAQ and any solicitation-related information referenced there.
Are there any notes in the source data about record dates?
Yes. In addition to the posting date (March 2, 2011), the source data includes a creation date of May 10, 2011, and lists an archive date of June 1, 2011.
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