WASHINGTON - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking proposals for new spaceflight missions under a draft Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for its Astrophysics Explorers Program, a long-running effort to support principal investigator-led astrophysics missions developed on accelerated schedules and within strict cost caps.
The solicitation calls for complete spaceflight mission concepts led by a single principal investigator and aligned with the goals of NASA’s Astrophysics Explorers Program within the agency’s Science Mission Directorate. Selected investigations must be capable of rapid development, typically within 36 months, and on-orbit operations lasting less than three years.
NASA plans to conduct a two-step competitive selection process. In Step 1, the agency expects to select about two or three proposals for Phase A concept studies, providing funding through NASA centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, or contracts with non-NASA institutions. Step 2 will down-select up to one investigation for continuation into full mission development, flight, and operations.
Program background
The Astrophysics Explorers Program supports focused, high-value science missions designed to address pressing astrophysics questions while controlling lifecycle costs through streamlined management and mature technologies. The program traces its origins to the 1958 launch of Explorer 1 and has supported nearly 100 missions, including the Cosmic Background Explorer, which contributed to Nobel Prize-winning research.
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According to NASA, proposed missions should advance astrophysics knowledge, contribute data to publicly accessible archives, and produce peer-reviewed scientific results. The program also emphasizes technology infusion, public dissemination of results, and education and outreach activities aimed at inspiring future science and engineering professionals.
The draft solicitation outlines proposal requirements and constraints, with some implementation requirements deferred until Step 2. Proposers must still account for the resources needed to meet those deferred requirements, although any submitted responses to them will not be evaluated during Step 1.
NASA plans to release the Announcement of Opportunity in March 2025. Mandatory notices of intent to propose will be due six weeks later, with full proposals due three months after release. Step 1 selections are targeted for March 2026, with Phase A concept studies beginning in April 2026. The agency aims to select a mission for flight by the second quarter of calendar year 2027, with a required launch readiness date no later than the second quarter of calendar year 2031.
The primary pont of contact for this announcement is John Winiewski, who can be reached at [email protected]. Additional information is available at https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/4c71b2085be6407c8bc02b9055ac9857/view.
