Spaceflight Research Opportunities in Space Biology | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this NASA funding opportunity?

The opportunity is a competitive research grant under a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled "Spaceflight Research Opportunities in Space Biology" (Funding Opportunity Number NNH14ZTT001N).

2) What type of research is NASA seeking?

NASA is seeking hypothesis-driven biological research that will actually fly and be conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The solicitation emphasizes using spaceflight as an essential experimental condition to answer fundamental biology questions and produce practical knowledge that supports human space exploration and yields benefits on Earth.

3) Does the proposed work need to be conducted on the ISS?

Yes. The focus of the announcement is on biological research that will fly and be conducted aboard the ISS.

4) What are the core goals of the Space Biology research described in the solicitation?

The solicitation frames Space Biology around three core goals: (1) using microgravity and other spaceflight conditions to deepen understanding of basic biological processes (where spaceflight is essential to the experimental design), (2) building the scientific and technological foundations needed for a safe and productive long-duration human presence in space, and (3) translating space-derived insights into Earth benefits such as improved national competitiveness, education impacts, and better health and quality of life.

5) What organisms or biological systems are in scope?

The scope includes experiments examining how spaceflight affects a wide range of organisms, including microorganisms, plants, and animals.

6) Is the solicitation limited to microgravity research only?

No. While microgravity is central, the announcement highlights interest in studies across the gravity spectrum, from microgravity to hypergravity, including work that compares different gravity levels.

7) What space-relevant stressors are specifically called out?

The announcement specifically calls out biological responses to space-relevant stressors such as radiation and magnetic fields.

8) Are studies of interactions among different species or communities relevant?

Yes. The solicitation highlights interest in investigations into interactions among species in the constrained and unusual environments associated with spacecraft and space habitats.

9) What is the submission process?

The opportunity uses a two-step proposal process. Step 1 is a short proposal, and only applicants invited after Step 1 may submit a full Step 2 proposal.

10) What are the Step 1 proposal requirements and deadline?

Step 1 is a short proposal of roughly 1 to 5 pages. It is due December 19, 2013 by 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

11) Who can submit a Step 2 full proposal?

Only applicants who are invited after the Step 1 short proposal may submit a Step 2 full proposal.

12) What is the Step 2 proposal deadline?

Step 2 full proposals are due March 20, 2014 by 5:00 PM Eastern Time.

13) How must proposals be submitted?

Proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational official. Applicants may use either NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or Grants.gov.

14) What is NSPIRES, and what should applicants know about registration?

NSPIRES is NASA's electronic proposal submission system. The announcement notes that NSPIRES requires registration for both organizations and individual participants (including the PI and any co-investigators). Teams are strongly advised to register and become familiar with NSPIRES well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute submission issues.

15) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is intentionally wide. All categories of U.S. institutions may apply, including universities, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies (subject to any clarifications in the full solicitation text).

16) Are collaborations allowed?

Yes. The program allows and anticipates collaboration. PIs may work with partners from academia, federal laboratories, private-sector organizations, state and local government laboratories, and international collaborators.

17) What funding instruments will NASA use for awards?

Awards resulting from selections under this announcement will be issued as grants or cooperative agreements.

18) Is this solicitation treated as a broad agency announcement?

Yes. The announcement is structured as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which is typical for research solicitations where scientific merit and relevance drive selections.

19) What guidance will inform NASA's selection priorities?

NASA notes that project selection will be guided by the National Research Council's 2011 Decadal Survey report "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era."

20) What does it mean to align with the 2011 Decadal Survey?

Based on the listing, applicants should expect to align their hypotheses, methods, and anticipated impacts with the strategic research themes and recommendations described in the 2011 Decadal Survey guidance referenced in the solicitation.

21) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated in the opportunity listing.

22) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The listing associates this opportunity with CFDA number 43.003 (Exploration).

23) What activity category does this opportunity fall under?

It is listed under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

24) What is the funding category or type?

The listing categorizes the opportunity as discretionary funding and indicates the instrument type as grant funding (with awards issued as grants or cooperative agreements).

25) Where can applicants find the full solicitation?

The full solicitation was made available through NASA's NSPIRES open solicitations page, with Grants.gov offered as an alternative submission route.

26) Who should be contacted for technical questions about flight hardware and spaceflight implementation?

Technical questions can be directed to Dr. Howard G. Levine at Kennedy Space Center (Howard.G.Levine@nasa.gov, 321-861-3502) or Dr. Jeffrey D. Smith at Ames Research Center (jeffrey.d.smith@nasa.gov, 650-604-0880).

27) Who should be contacted for programmatic questions about the solicitation?

Programmatic questions can be directed to Dr. David L. Tomko at NASA Headquarters (dtomko@nasa.gov, 202-358-2211).

28) Who should be contacted for contracting-related questions?

Contracting-related questions are directed to Benjamin S. Benvenutti at the NASA Shared Services Center (benjamin.s.benvenutti@nasa.gov, 228-813-6128).

29) What are the posted and creation dates for the opportunity listing?

The posted and creation dates are November 18, 2013.

30) Why does the solicitation emphasize that space is not "just a backdrop"?

The listing emphasizes that NASA is looking for studies where microgravity and other spaceflight conditions are essential to the experimental design, meaning the space environment is a key variable needed to test the hypothesis rather than merely the location where the study happens.