Solicitation Number: NNH15ZOA001N-NIAC_A3
Release Date: August 21, 2015
Response Date: October 8, 2015 5:00pm Eastern (Step A Proposals)
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate has released an appendix to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH15ZOA0001N. This appendix solicits proposals for studying visionary, yet credible, advanced concepts in the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program. NIAC’s goal is to “Change the Possible” in aerospace and aeronautics missions, and is available at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={D98C4B89-295F-1652-C0AE-29B54B0E481D}&path=open
The NIAC Program focuses on early studies of visionary concepts that address NASA’s or the nation’s goals but also offer radically different approaches or leapfrog innovations to enable new missions, operations, or science capabilities. NIAC concepts are often high risk or far term, but worth studying now to inform technology investments and forward planning. The entry Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for NIAC Phase I concepts should be TRL 1 to TRL 2 in maturity. Successful studies analyze a candidate mission that could be made feasible with the proposed concept.
The NIAC Program supports innovative research through Phase I and Phase II awards. The Appendix focuses only on Phase I, and provides award information and proposal requirements. There are two steps to the Phase I proposal process; a brief Step A proposal open to all applicants, and an expanded Step B proposal for those Step A proposals that are invited. This Appendix describes both. NIAC will release a separate REsearch, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion (REDDI) Appendix soliciting Phase II proposals at a later date, with sufficient time for eligible Phase I Fellows awarded in this solicitation to apply for follow-on support of up to two more years of study and development.
Proposed concepts must satisfy the following criteria to qualify as candidates for a NIAC Phase I study; they must be: an aerospace architecture or mission concept, proposed in a mission context, be exciting and unexplored, and be credible and reasonable.
NIAC Virtual Forum
NASA will host a virtual forum that will address key aspects of this Appendix. The date targeted for this forum is tentatively Wednesday, September 9, 2015. Specific details for the forum will be posted on the following website: http://www.nasa.gov/niac .
Offerors should refer to this website for updates and other information relevant to this Appendix. Although this will be a live forum, offerors are encouraged to pre-submit questions, preferably a week in advance, to hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov with the subject title “NIAC Virtual Forum.”
To view the NIAC solicitations and related information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/niac.
For more information about NASA’s investments in space technology, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech
