Synopsis for Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System Appendix B Released

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to release the second appendix (Appendix B) of the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System” on or about January 19, 2016. The NRA solicits ground-based research proposals from established researchers and graduate students to generate new scientific insights by utilizing experimental data residing in NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) system (http://psi.nasa.gov), an online database of past and current physical science International Space Station (ISS) flight experiments. A synopsis of the solicitation has been posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website at https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=c95ebe2324eff60041013d1751948288&tab=core&_cview=0.

The release of the full Appendix B will be announced via this email list. The announcement email will also contain information on a proposers’ conference NASA plans to host via WebEx in January shortly after the release of the full Appendix to provide more information and to answer questions about the NRA and the PSI system.

The PSI system is an online database of science data from past and current physical science ISS flight experiments. It is designed as a tool for investigators to expand upon the valuable research performed on the ISS using it to further science in accordance with the open science approach, while also meeting the requirements of the President’s Open Data Policy. This NRA solicits ground-based research proposals that present a compelling case on how the experimental data from the PSI system will be used to promote the advancement of further research. Proposers must show a clear path from the scientific data obtained from the PSI system to the proposed investigation. In addition, the project must address an important problem in the proposed area of research and advance scientific knowledge or technology.

“Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System – Appendix B,” which is planned to be released on or about January 19, 2016, will solicit proposals in the five research areas for which experimental data will available in the PSI by the Appendix B proposal due date: Combustion Science, Complex Fluids, Fluid Physics, Fundamental Physics and Materials Science. The Appendix specifically solicits proposals that utilize data from eligible investigations in the PSI. The eligible investigations at the time of the release of this synopsis are provided in the paragraph below. The Appendix will be amended, if necessary, with an updated list of eligible investigations before the proposal due date. Proposals for Appendix B will be due on or around March 17, 2016.

At the time of the release of the synopsis for the solicitation, the following investigations are eligible for Appendix B. Data for these investigations are currently available in the PSI system (http://psi.nasa.gov), and proposers are encouraged to start examining the data in the system even before the Appendix is released. For Combustion Science, the investigations include DAFT (Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test), DAFT-2 (Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test-2), FLEX (Flame Extinguishment Experiment), SAME (Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment), SAME-R (Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment Reflight), and SPICE (Smoke Point in Coflow Experiment). For Complex Fluids, the investigations include ACE-M1 (Advanced Colloids Experiment-Microscopy – 1), BCAT-3 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 3), BCAT-4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 4), BCAT-5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 5), BCAT-6 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 6), InSPACE-3 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids–3), InSPACE-3+ (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids–3+), PHaSE-PCS (Physics of Hard Spheres Experiment-Physics of Colloids in Space), SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment), SHERE II (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment II), and SHERE-R (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment Reflight). For Fluid Physics, the investigations include CCF (Capillary Channel Flow), CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment), CVB (Constrained Vapor Bubble), MABE (Microheater Array Heater Boiling Experiment), and NPBX (Nucleate Pool Boiling Experiment). For Fundamental Physics, the eligible investigation is GRADFLEX (Gradient Driven Fluctuation Experiment). For Materials Science, the investigations include CSLM (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures), CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures – 2), CSLM-2R (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures – 2 Reflight), CSLM-3 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures – 3), ISSI (In-Space Soldering Investigation), and PFMI (Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation).

This solicitation is applicable to researchers in all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers and other U.S. Government agencies. This NRA is soliciting proposals from two types of investigators: 1) established researchers from all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers and other Government agencies; 2) graduate students (with advisors) from accredited U.S. postsecondary institutions and programs. The proposals from graduate students must be submitted by their advisor. Principal Investigators (PIs) may collaborate with investigators from universities, Federal Government laboratories, the private sector, state and local government laboratories, and other countries. Proposals including international participation are eligible, provided NASA policies regarding the conduct of research with non-U.S. organizations are met.

Proposals must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Proposals must be submitted electronically. Proposers may use either NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com/) or Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) for proposal submission.

Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this NRA must be registered with NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorized organization representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. Instructions on how to register in NSPIRES are provided in the NRA. Each electronic proposal system places requirements on the registration of principal investigators and other participants (e.g., co-investigators). Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Questions with regard to responding to this NRA may be addressed to the contacts referenced in the full solicitation document.

This is a broad agency announcement as specified in FAR 6.102 (d)(2). Notwithstanding the posting of this opportunity at FedBizOpps.gov, nspires.nasaprs.com, or Grants.gov, NASA reserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each proposal selected pursuant to this announcement.