SpaceTech-REDDI-2018 Appendix F1: Tech Flights – NASA Flight Opportunities Now Open
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released a solicitation, titled “NASA Flight Opportunities (FO): Technology Advancement Utilizing Suborbital Flight Opportunities,” as an Appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2018 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2018).”
Applications are due on or before June 8, 2018, and selections will be announced in November 2018 (target). The solicitation is available by opening the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com, selecting “Solicitations,” then selecting “Open Solicitations,” and selecting “NASA Flight Opportunities (FO).” To go directly to the solicitation page, visithttps://tinyurl.com/NASA-18FO-F1.
The Flight Opportunities program will conduct two Q&A sessions to provide an overview of the solicitation and to answer questions about the proposal process on the following dates:
Day 1: Thursday, April 12, 2018
SpaceTech-REDDI-2018 F1 Q & A
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Pacific Time
WebEx website: https://nasa.webex.com/
WebEx Meeting number: 999 910 286
WebEx Meeting password: hqjJxv*5
Teleconference number: 844-467-6272
Teleconference listen-only passcode: 4062592
Day 2: Friday, April 13, 2018
SpaceTech-REDDI-2018 F1 Q & A
8:00 am – 12:00 pm Pacific Time
WebEx website: https://nasa.webex.com/
WebEx Meeting number: 995 417 168
WebEx Meeting password: pgHK3Wj?
Teleconference number: 844-467-6272
Teleconference listen-only passcode: 4062592
See the solicitation page on NSPIRES for more details on the Q&A sessions and how to submit questions in advance.
Flight Opportunities strategically invests in the growth of the commercial spaceflight market while helping advance technologies that will enable future space missions for science and exploration. The program achieves these self-reinforcing objectives by selecting promising technologies from industry, academia, and government to test on commercial suborbital launch vehicles, reduced gravity aircraft and high-altitude balloon flights. Investment in tests that take technologies from the laboratory to a relevant flight environment facilitates technology maturation, validates feasibility and reduces technical risks. These investments enable infusion of key space technologies into multiple future space missions.
The purpose of this Appendix is to provide funding for the testing or demonstration of crosscutting space technologies in relevant environments through flights on reusable suborbital launch vehicles, reduced gravity aircraft, and high-altitude balloons. These flight tests should fit into an overall technology maturation plan as a bridge between laboratory testing and demonstration in Earth orbit or beyond. The proposer’s organization will directly purchase the proposed flight(s) on currently available U.S. commercial platforms of their choice.
All U.S. private entities (for-profit and non-profit), Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (except NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)) and U.S. universities may propose under this Appendix. Proposing U.S. entities may include a participating foreign entity but shall not transfer any awarded funds to their foreign partner. NASA Centers including JPL must use the NASA internal flight opportunity call for proposals.
Proposals must be submitted electronically using NASA’s proposal data system, NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com). Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the electronic proposal system well in advance of the proposal due date to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this Appendix must be registered with NSPIRES. Registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal.
Technical, programmatic, and procurement comments and questions may be addressed by e-mail to HQ-STMD-FO@nasaprs.com. Responses to inquiries will be answered by e-mail and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the Appendix; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.
