Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH15ZOA001N 15ESI B2
Apply for NNH15ZOA001N 15ESI B2
- The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Stage Innovations (ESI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.012 Space Technology.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 20, 2015 and posted on May 20, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 10, 2015. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- See Description below or Full Announcement for clarification.
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Opportunity Summary:
NASA Headquarters, through its Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), released the Early Stage Innovations (ESI) solicitation as an appendix to the broader Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2015 (SpaceTech REDDI 2015) NASA Research Announcement. ESI is designed specifically to fund very early, high-risk research in space technology at low Technology Readiness Levels, focusing on ideas that are still at the fundamental concept and proof-of-feasibility stage rather than technologies already moving toward near-term flight programs. The solicitation was posted May 20, 2015, and applications were handled through NASA's NSPIRES system (with submission also possible via Grants.gov).
The central purpose of ESI is to stimulate disruptive or transformational technology concepts that could eventually produce large, system-level benefits for NASA and the wider space community. NASA frames this as an intentional investment in foundational research, emphasizing that early-stage exploration of new ideas can unlock novel capabilities, create unexpected spin-off applications, and open pathways to entirely new industries over time. The program is meant to complement other NASA technology efforts that generally start at TRL 3 or higher; in contrast, ESI targets projects beginning at TRL 1 or TRL 2, with typical outcomes reaching TRL 2 or TRL 3 by the end of the award. That framing makes it clear NASA is looking for strong technical reasoning, credible experiments or modeling plans, and a compelling argument that a nascent concept could later translate into meaningful advances in spaceflight hardware or mission performance.
ESI is also explicitly positioned as a university-centered opportunity. NASA highlights universities as a natural home for fundamental research and as engines for training the next generation of scientists and engineers, particularly through graduate student involvement and partnerships that help diffuse knowledge into industry and government. In practical terms, this means the solicitation is restricted to accredited U.S. universities as the submitting organizations, but it allows teaming and collaboration with other universities, industry partners, nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers, other government agencies, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, as long as those arrangements follow the rules laid out in the solicitation. NASA further encourages participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Universities, and it signals strong interest in proposals that elevate women, underrepresented minority groups, persons with disabilities, and early-career faculty.
A key feature of the opportunity is that it is tightly scoped to seven specific topic areas. Proposals had to be responsive to one of the following: Payload Technologies for Assistive Free Flyers; Robotic Mobility Technologies for the Surfaces of Icy Moons; Integrated Photonics for Space Optical Communication; Discrete Cellular Materials Assembly, Repair, and Reconfiguration; Computationally Guided Structural Nanomaterials Design; Atmospheric Entry Modeling Development Using Orion EFT-1 Flight Data; and High Voltage Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Electronics for Space Applications. NASA explicitly states what it does not want: the program is not intended for literature reviews, survey-only efforts, or incremental upgrades to the current state of the art. Even if a project plan involves incremental research steps, the proposal must make a strong case that the eventual payoff could be substantial at the system level, such as major improvements in performance, mass, cost, reliability, or operational simplicity.
On funding mechanics, ESI is a discretionary grant opportunity (CFDA 43.012, Space Technology) with no cost sharing or matching requirement. NASA anticipated making around 12 awards, dependent on the quality and merit of proposals received. Awards could last up to three years (shorter periods were allowed), and the listed award ceiling was $500,000. Proposals had to be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational representative, and NASA encouraged applicants to register and familiarize themselves with NSPIRES well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute submission issues.
The timeline for this specific release included optional Notices of Intent due June 12, 2015, and full proposals due July 10, 2015, with the opportunity later archived August 9, 2015. The Funding Opportunity Number associated with the call is NNH15ZOA001N-15ESI-B2. For questions, NASA directed technical and programmatic inquiries to the Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive, Claudia Meyer, and procurement questions to Carl T. Weih, using the hq-esi-call@mail.nasa.gov address, with answers potentially incorporated into posted FAQ materials while preserving the anonymity of questioners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NASA Early Stage Innovations (ESI)
1) What is the NASA Early Stage Innovations (ESI) solicitation?
Early Stage Innovations (ESI) is a NASA Headquarters solicitation released by the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) as an appendix to the Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2015 (SpaceTech REDDI 2015) NASA Research Announcement. It is designed to fund very early, high-risk research in space technology.
2) What is the main goal of ESI?
The central purpose of ESI is to stimulate disruptive or transformational technology concepts that could eventually create large, system-level benefits for NASA and the broader space community. NASA frames ESI as an intentional investment in foundational research that may unlock new capabilities, produce unexpected spin-off applications, and open pathways to new industries over time.
3) What Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) does ESI target?
ESI targets projects starting at very low TRLs, specifically TRL 1 or TRL 2 (fundamental concept and proof-of-feasibility). Typical outcomes are expected to reach around TRL 2 or TRL 3 by the end of the award.
4) How is ESI different from other NASA technology programs?
NASA positions ESI as complementary to other technology efforts that generally start at TRL 3 or higher. ESI is specifically aimed at earlier-stage, higher-risk work where the core concept is still being established through credible modeling and/or experiments.
5) Who is eligible to submit a proposal?
The submitting organization must be an accredited U.S. university. ESI is described as a university-centered opportunity, emphasizing universities as a natural home for fundamental research and workforce development.
6) Can teams include partners outside the submitting university?
Yes. The solicitation allows teaming and collaboration with other universities, industry partners, nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers, other government agencies, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, as long as the arrangements follow the rules stated in the solicitation.
7) Does NASA encourage participation from certain institutions or groups?
Yes. NASA encourages participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Universities. NASA also signals strong interest in proposals that elevate women, underrepresented minority groups, persons with disabilities, and early-career faculty.
8) What kinds of projects is ESI intended to fund?
ESI is intended to fund very early, high-risk space technology research at the fundamental concept and proof-of-feasibility stage. NASA is looking for strong technical reasoning, credible plans for experiments or modeling, and a compelling argument that an early-stage idea could later translate into meaningful advances in spaceflight hardware or mission performance.
9) What types of submissions does NASA say ESI is not intended to support?
NASA explicitly states ESI is not intended for literature reviews, survey-only efforts, or incremental upgrades to the current state of the art. Even when a project includes incremental research steps, the proposal must justify a potentially substantial system-level payoff (for example, major improvements in performance, mass, cost, reliability, or operational simplicity).
10) What topic areas were eligible under this ESI appendix?
Proposals had to be responsive to one of seven specific topic areas:
- Payload Technologies for Assistive Free Flyers
- Robotic Mobility Technologies for the Surfaces of Icy Moons
- Integrated Photonics for Space Optical Communication
- Discrete Cellular Materials Assembly, Repair, and Reconfiguration
- Computationally Guided Structural Nanomaterials Design
- Atmospheric Entry Modeling Development Using Orion EFT-1 Flight Data
- High Voltage Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Electronics for Space Applications
11) Do proposals have to match one of the listed topic areas?
Yes. The solicitation was tightly scoped to those seven topics, and proposals needed to be responsive to one of them.
12) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this call?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH15ZOA001N-15ESI-B2.
13) What is the CFDA number associated with ESI?
This opportunity is associated with CFDA 43.012 (Space Technology).
14) What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling was $500,000.
15) How many awards did NASA anticipate making?
NASA anticipated making around 12 awards, depending on the quality and merit of proposals received.
16) What is the maximum period of performance?
Awards could last up to three years. Shorter periods were allowed.
17) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. ESI is described as having no cost sharing or matching requirement.
18) How were proposals submitted?
Proposals had to be submitted electronically through NASA's NSPIRES system. Submission was also possible via Grants.gov.
19) Who had to submit the application on behalf of the university?
Proposals had to be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational representative.
20) What were the key dates for this ESI release?
The solicitation was posted May 20, 2015. Optional Notices of Intent were due June 12, 2015, and full proposals were due July 10, 2015. The opportunity was later archived August 9, 2015.
21) Was a Notice of Intent (NOI) required?
No. The Notice of Intent was optional, with an indicated due date of June 12, 2015.
22) Why did NASA encourage early registration in NSPIRES?
NASA encouraged applicants to register and become familiar with NSPIRES well ahead of deadlines to reduce the risk of last-minute submission problems.
23) Who was the technical and programmatic point of contact?
NASA directed technical and programmatic inquiries to the Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive, Claudia Meyer.
24) Who was the procurement point of contact?
NASA directed procurement questions to Carl T. Weih.
25) What email address was provided for questions?
Questions were directed to hq-esi-call@mail.nasa.gov.
26) How would NASA handle questions received by email?
NASA indicated that answers could be incorporated into posted FAQ materials while preserving the anonymity of the questioners.
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