Planetary Protection

NASA DRAFT Cooperative Agreement Notice Released for Comment Support for Planetary Sample Science (SPSS)

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
NASA
April 6, 2023
NASA DRAFT Cooperative Agreement Notice Released for Comment Support for Planetary Sample Science (SPSS)
Close-up of the Apollo 17 lunar core sample 73001 being taken out of its drive tube for the first time since it was collected 50 years ago
NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has released a draft Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) entitled “Support for Planetary Sample Science (SPSS)” for public comment.

Draft CAN Release Date: April 6, 2023
Comments Due: April 20, 2023
Number: NNH23ZDA014J

The NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) is the official NASA source for the full text of the draft CAN; therefore, please visit: https://nspires.nasaprs.com/, choose “Solicitations” at the top of the page, and on the next page in the search box, input the number “NNH23ZDA014J.” In the event of any lapse in NASA operations, please visit NSPIRES for further information.

The final SPSS CAN will invite the submission of proposals to provide support for members of the planetary science community carrying out science activities that make use of extraterrestrial samples. Scientific studies of such samples have proven valuable for informing our understanding of the solar system. NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD) has long provided support for community research with these samples. With this opportunity, NASA seeks to continue to provide this support to enable community research.

Section A of the CAN provides a description of the program. Section B provides Federal Award Information. Section C describes eligibility criteria. Section D describes the process for submission, review, selection, and award for this funding announcement. Prospective investigators from most categories of U.S. organizations or institutions will be welcome to respond when the final CAN is released. Specific categories of organizations and institutions that will be welcome to respond include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs). Non-U.S. organizations may participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis. The CAN allows NASA Centers and JPL to participate only with an eligible non-Federal entity; NASA Centers may not serve as the lead institution.

NASA has not approved the issuance of a final CAN for SPSS. This email does not obligate NASA to issue the final text and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred in preparing submissions in response to this email or to the draft CAN are incurred completely at the submitter’s own risk.

The draft CAN invites public and community feedback prior to release of the final text. Comments/questions regarding this CAN should be sent to [email protected] no later than April 20, 2023. Anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions/comments will be preserved. Responses to individual comments and questions may be posted in a Q&As (Questions and Answers) document on the NSPIRES landing page for the final CAN when it is released; note that the final CAN will have its own number. Similar comments may be aggregated and provided with a single response.

Astrobiology

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