Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH09ZTT003N
Apply for NNH09ZTT003N
- The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN SPACE LIFE SCIENCES FUNDAMENTAL SPACE BIOLOGY ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 00.000 Not Elsewhere Classified.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 11, 2009 and posted on May 11, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Notices of Intent are due on June 26, 2009, and proposals are due on August 26, 2009.. (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.
- Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other Government agencies.
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Opportunity Summary:
NASA Headquarters issued a Research Announcement (NRA) under the title "Research Opportunities in Space Life Sciences - Fundamental Space Biology (FSB) - Animal Physiology" (Funding Opportunity Number NNH09ZTT003N). The program is aimed at hypothesis-driven research that tackles basic, underlying questions about how whole physiological systems respond to gravity and to changes in gravity, using animal model organisms. The scope explicitly excludes single-cell organisms and standard cell culture-only studies, keeping the emphasis on integrated organismal physiology where multiple systems interact.
The scientific focus is on understanding both systemic effects and targeted, molecular-level physiological changes that occur during acute and/or chronic exposure to altered gravity. NASA is also interested in studies that compare responses across different gravity vector loads, meaning proposals can address a range of gravitational conditions rather than only microgravity. Examples of gravity-sensitive physiological variables mentioned in the solicitation include processes tied to development, stress responses, and major health-relevant pathways in muscle, bone, and the immune system, though the solicitation signals that these are examples rather than strict limits. In practical terms, the opportunity is meant to build foundational knowledge about how animals adapt, degrade, or compensate when gravity changes, and how those changes ripple across biological pathways and organ systems.
This call is specifically positioned as ground-based research, with the idea that successful or mature lines of investigation could later transition to flight research, including potential eventual work on the International Space Station (ISS). That framing matters because it encourages proposals that are feasible using terrestrial analogs or platforms that simulate aspects of altered gravity, while still keeping an eye on questions that would remain meaningful in an ISS setting.
From an administrative standpoint, the solicitation is run through NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Advanced Capabilities Division. It is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity and indicates NASA may use either grants or cooperative agreements as award instruments, depending on what is appropriate for any selected proposal. The announcement is also described as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which generally signals a competitive research solicitation where scientific merit and relevance to agency needs drive selections.
Key dates are clearly stated: Notices of Intent were due June 26, 2009, and full proposals were due August 26, 2009. The opportunity was posted May 11, 2009, and the full solicitation was expected to be accessible around May 26, 2009 through NASA's research portal. The archive date listed is May 11, 2010, reflecting the period it remained publicly available as an active/archived listing.
Eligibility is broad and essentially unrestricted across organization types, subject to the details in the full text. NASA opened participation to educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies. A key procedural requirement is that proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized official of the proposing organization, not informally by an individual investigator acting alone. Submissions were to be made through NSPIRES (NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System) at http://nspires.nasaprs.com. The notice also emphasizes that, until further notice at the time, NASA proposals could not be submitted through Grants.gov, so NSPIRES registration and use was not optional.
Because NSPIRES controls both organizational and investigator access, the opportunity highlights registration steps as a practical barrier that applicants should address early. Each organization needed to be registered in NSPIRES and must designate authorized organizational representatives who can formally submit proposals. Principal investigators and other participants, such as co-investigators, also face profile and registration requirements within the system. NASA explicitly encouraged potential applicants to get into NSPIRES well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute technical or registration issues and to become familiar with the system's structure and required data fields.
For applicants needing help, the announcement lists points of contact tied to access and submission support, including Cassandra Williams (cassandra.williams@nasa.gov) and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov). Scientific or programmatic questions were to be directed to the contacts identified in the full solicitation document, reinforcing that the detailed requirements, evaluation criteria, and any topic-specific constraints would be spelled out in the complete NRA text available through NSPIRES.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this NASA funding opportunity called?
The opportunity is a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled "Research Opportunities in Space Life Sciences - Fundamental Space Biology (FSB) - Animal Physiology."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH09ZTT003N.
Which NASA organization is running this solicitation?
The solicitation is run through NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Advanced Capabilities Division, as described in the announcement.
What kind of research is NASA seeking under this call?
NASA is seeking hypothesis-driven research focused on basic, underlying questions about how whole physiological systems respond to gravity and changes in gravity, using animal model organisms. The emphasis is on integrated, organism-level physiology where multiple systems interact.
Is the focus on whole organisms or on cells?
The focus is on whole organism (integrated organismal physiology). The scope explicitly excludes single-cell organisms and standard cell culture-only studies.
Are single-cell organisms eligible as model systems?
No. The scope explicitly excludes single-cell organisms.
Are standard cell culture-only studies allowed?
No. Standard cell culture-only studies are explicitly excluded in the scope description.
What does "animal physiology" mean in the context of this NRA?
In this call, "animal physiology" refers to research examining how entire physiological systems (and interactions among multiple systems) respond to altered gravity, including systemic effects and targeted molecular-level physiological changes.
Does NASA want studies limited to microgravity?
No. The announcement notes NASA's interest in studies comparing responses across different gravity vector loads, meaning proposals can address a range of gravitational conditions rather than only microgravity.
What kinds of physiological changes are in scope?
The scope includes understanding systemic effects as well as targeted, molecular-level physiological changes that occur during acute and/or chronic exposure to altered gravity.
Does the solicitation mention specific biological areas of interest?
Yes. Examples of gravity-sensitive physiological variables include processes tied to development, stress responses, and major health-relevant pathways in muscle, bone, and the immune system. These are presented as examples rather than strict limits.
Is this opportunity for ground-based research or spaceflight research?
This call is specifically positioned as ground-based research. The framing suggests that successful or mature lines of investigation could later transition to flight research, including potential eventual work on the International Space Station (ISS).
Does this NRA require that the work be conducted on the ISS?
No. The opportunity is described as ground-based, with an eye toward future transition to flight/ISS research rather than a requirement that the proposed work occur on the ISS.
Are proposals expected to use terrestrial analogs or simulated altered-gravity platforms?
The announcement encourages proposals that are feasible using terrestrial analogs or platforms that simulate aspects of altered gravity, while focusing on questions that would remain meaningful in an ISS setting.
What type of funding mechanism will NASA use for awards?
The announcement states NASA may use either grants or cooperative agreements as award instruments, depending on what is appropriate for a selected proposal.
How is this opportunity categorized from a procurement/competition standpoint?
It is described as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which generally indicates a competitive research solicitation where scientific merit and relevance to agency needs drive selections.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The solicitation is categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad and essentially unrestricted across organization types, subject to details in the full text. NASA opened participation to educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies.
Can an individual investigator submit a proposal directly?
No. The announcement states proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized official of the proposing organization, not informally by an individual investigator acting alone.
Where must proposals be submitted?
Proposals were to be submitted through NSPIRES (NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System) at http://nspires.nasaprs.com.
Can proposals be submitted through Grants.gov?
No. The notice emphasizes that, until further notice at the time, NASA proposals could not be submitted through Grants.gov, so NSPIRES registration and use was not optional.
What is NSPIRES and why is it required?
NSPIRES is NASA's Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System. The announcement indicates it is the required electronic submission portal and also controls organizational and investigator access/registration.
What registration steps should applicants plan for?
The announcement highlights that each organization needed to be registered in NSPIRES and must designate authorized organizational representatives who can formally submit proposals. Principal investigators and other participants (such as co-investigators) also face profile and registration requirements within NSPIRES.
Why does the announcement stress early registration in NSPIRES?
Because NSPIRES registration and system familiarity can be a practical barrier. NASA encouraged applicants to start well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute technical or registration issues and to become familiar with required data fields.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 11, 2009.
When was the full solicitation expected to be accessible?
The full solicitation was expected to be accessible around May 26, 2009 through NASA's research portal (via NSPIRES), according to the announcement.
What were the key submission deadlines?
Notices of Intent were due June 26, 2009, and full proposals were due August 26, 2009.
What is the archive date and what does it indicate?
The archive date listed is May 11, 2010, reflecting the period it remained publicly available as an active/archived listing.
Who should be contacted for help with access or submission issues?
The announcement lists Cassandra Williams (cassandra.williams@nasa.gov) and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov) for access and submission support.
Who should be contacted for scientific or programmatic questions?
Scientific or programmatic questions were to be directed to the contacts identified in the full solicitation document, as noted in the announcement.
Where are the detailed requirements and evaluation criteria described?
The announcement indicates that detailed requirements, evaluation criteria, and any topic-specific constraints would be spelled out in the complete NRA text available through NSPIRES.
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