NASA Astrophysics Explorer Solicitations to be Released on August 24, 2021
he National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing two solicitations for Astrophysics Explorers Science Investigations. The Astrophysics Explorers Program conducts Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations relevant to SMD’s astrophysics programs. Astrophysics Explorers investigations must address NASA’s strategic objective to discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for life on planets around other stars.
Release Date: August 24, 2021
Mandatory Notice of Intent to Propose Due: October 14, 2021
Proposals Due: December 9, 2021
NASA will release concurrently the 2021 Astrophysics Medium Explorer (MIDEX) Announcement of Opportunity (NNH21ZDA018O), and the 2021 Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity (MO) Program Element Appendix Q (PEA-Q) (NNH17ZDA004O-APEXMO2) as Amendment 20 to the NASA Third Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Announcement of Opportunity NNH17ZDA004O.
These solicitations will be open through December 9, 2021. The NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) is the official NASA source for the full text of the solicitations and any future amendments or clarifications, therefore, please visit: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ and search on the solicitation number or use the following direct, short URLS
1. Solicitation Number: NNH21ZDA018O (Medium Explorer AO) available at https://go.nasa.gov/21APMIDEX
2. Solicitation Number: NNH17ZDA004O-APEXMO2 (Amendment 20 to the SALMON-3 AO: NNH17ZDA004O) available at https://go.nasa.gov/21APEXMO2
A joint Preproposal Conference will be held via teleconference/WebEx in September 2021. The forthcoming date, agenda, and logistical information for this session maybe found by visiting the Astrophysics Explorers Program Acquisition Homepage: https://explorers.larc.nasa.
Prospective investigators from any category of organizations or institutions, U.S. or non-U.S., are welcome to respond to this solicitation. Specific categories of organizations and institutions that are welcome to respond include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other Government agencies. Non-U.S. organizations may participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis.
NASA expects to select approximately two to three Astrophysics Explorers MIDEX missions for Phase A studies, and down select approximately one MIDEX mission to proceed into Phase B and subsequent mission phases. NASA expects to select approximately two or more Astrophysics Explorers Missions of Opportunity for Phase A studies, and down select approximately one or more Missions of Opportunity to proceed into Phase B and subsequent mission phases.
The 2021 Medium Explorer AO incorporates a number of changes relative i) to the 2019 Explorers Program AO and ii) to the Draft 2021 Medium Explorer (MIDEX) AO. All proposers must read the 2021 AO carefully, and all proposals must comply with the requirements, constraints, and guidelines contained within the AO.
The 2021 Mission of Opportunity SALMON-3 PEA incorporates a number of changes relative i) to the 2019 Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity solicitation and ii) to the Draft 2021 Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity PEA. All proposers must read the SALMON-3 AO and PEA Q carefully, and all proposals must comply with the requirements, constraints, and guidelines contained within them.
Mandatory Notices of Intent are required from proposers to either or both Announcements of Opportunity by 11:59 pm Eastern time on October 14, 2021 and proposals are due by the same hour on December 9, 2021.
Comments and questions may be addressed by E-mail to the Astrophysics Explorers Program Scientist, Dr. Linda S. Sparke, at linda.s.sparke@nasa.gov (subject line to read “Astrophysics Explorers MIDEX AO” or “Astrophysics Explorers MO PEA” as appropriate). Proposers are encouraged to send comments and questions early, so that they may be addressed at the Preproposal Conference.
Responses to all inquiries will be posted at the Questions and Answers (QAs) location of the Astrophysics Explorers Program Acquisition website at https://explorers.larc.nasa.
