NASA is soliciting research proposals that fall within the 2025 topic areas that represent a subset of pertinent mission areas for NASA.
In Phase 1, Principal Investigator (PI) submits a proposal to one of thetopic areas by June 9, 2025.
In Phase 2, NASA facilitates communication and meetings between Phase 1 prize recipients, Mission Directorate representatives, and subject matter experts. Selected PIs and their partners (if applicable) will have the opportunity to participate in a kickoff meeting, a two-day in-person workshop, engage monthly with NASA researchers, identify opportunities with NASA, and network with other PIs. These sessions are expected to occur between August and December 2025.
It is highly encouraged that prize recipients participate in Phase 2 meetings to exchange information and receive the full benefits of this program.
Guidelines
Prize
NASA connects the public to the agency’s missions and explores creative possibilities for addressing the agency’s needs through prizes, challenges, and crowdsourcing opportunities. NASA MPLAN prize provide resources to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to further develop ideas, facilitate research and development, and engage stakeholders. Successful proposals result in prizes with a maximum amount of $50,000.
NASA intends for prize recipients to utilize their MPLAN prize funds for various purposes such as staff support, student experiences, professional development, travel, meetings, focus groups, research, evaluation, consultants, specialized resources, technical expertise, and support needed to develop and implement proposed strategies and approaches.
NASA MPLAN will provide support in Phase 2 through December 31, 2025. These prizes are not grants or cooperative agreements, and time extensions are not applicable.
Prizes are anticipated to be dispersed to MSIs within 45 days of the winner announcement, pending the on-time submission of the documents by the MSI.
Principal Investigators are primarily responsible for implementing, operating, and managing the project as described in their original proposal. While not required, appointing a co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) is optional(In the event the primary PI leaves the institution, providing a co-PI allows the funding to remain with the project within the institution). If a co-PI is designated, provide their name, role, and email address in the submission form. The PI should consider taking on some or all of the following tasks:
Leading, administering, and evaluating the project and its activities.
Collaborating with university leadership to promote advancement in engineering.
Supervising project staff and ensuring compliance with policies and laws.
Using research-based best practices for the project.
Managing project budgets and complying with funding guidelines.
Participating in meetings and delivering progress reports in a timely manner.
Participating in performance assessment and evaluation activities aligned with the federal government's priorities.
Note: While a co-PI is optional, designating one can ensure project continuity if the primary PI departs the institution.
Proposals
Each proposal must include a completed submission form and budget.
Do not include proprietary information within proposals. Proposals should include information that can be made publicly available without compromising any intellectual property or proprietary rights.
Submission Form
Proposals should be written at a conceptual big picture level, focusing on the overall goals and objectives of the prize as detailed in the submission form:
1. MSI Information:
Name of institution.
Address of primary campus of institution.
Name and email of Principal Investigator and their role at the institution.
Optional: name, role, and email of co-PI.
Optional: name and role of any other key participants from the MSI, including their level of support in the planning effort.
Zip folder containing the curriculum vitaes (CVs) of the PI and, if applicable, CVs of any other key participants from the MSI.
2. Team Members and Partners There is no limit to your number of team members/partners, however, beyond the Principal Investigator, you may provide information for only up to 5 additional team members/partners.
Team members and partners are optional,
For each team member:
Role: select one of Co-Principal Investigator, Small Business Concern/Partner, Other University Team Member, or Other Partner (not small business).
Name and email.
Partner capabilities (CV, capabilities statement, etc. PDF upload)
3. The Proposal:
Topic selection: select one topic from the list here.
Intended or desired start date of the proposed project or activity (after July 17, 2025).
Completion date of the proposed project or activity (there is no set period of performance for the funds; however, we recommend a proposal end date on or around December 2025 to correspond with the end date of NASA support).
Total amount of funds needed for the proposed project or activity, including all anticipated expenses and costs.
Executive summary: High level overview of the proposed technology or activity, including the problem being addressed. (Max 1200 characters).
Project objectives: What are the desired outcomes of your project or activity? (Max 1200 characters).
Approach to Research/Technical Innovation: A description of the proposed technology or activity, the degree of innovativeness, potential approaches to developing the technology, and key risks and mitigation strategies. (Max 2700 characters.)
Potential Applications to NASA: Potential NASA applications or missions which might benefit from developed technology, potential commercialization opportunities. (Max 1300 characters.)
Attach a completed budget for your proposed project or activity, using the budget template.
Optional: Background and literature review: A review of the work done in the field, emphasizing the problem and attempts to tackle it. (Max 2000 characters.)
Budget
Submit a budget using the budget template (view a sample budget here). Budget details are provided to allow for assessment of the type of skills/expertise engaged in this effort and the number of hours committed.
Requirements:
Use of Government facilities or contracted technical support should not be included in the budget submission.
At least 50% of the budget must go to the MSI.
Proposed projects should not begin until July 17, 2025.
The budget requested for this prize cannot exceed $50,000.
Recommendations:
Budget proposals must cover activities through December 31, 2025.
Consider allocating funds for travel for up to two in-person meetings, within the United States, as there may be opportunities to engage with your Mission Directorate cohort.
As this is a prize and not a grant, no indirect costs should be included in the budget.
Materials and supplies budget should not exceed 10% of the total budget.
Timeline
Phase 1: Open for submissions: March 31, 2025
Pre-proposal information session: April 10, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. CT
Submission deadline: June 9, 2025, 10:59 p.m. CT
Selection Announcement: July 2025
Phase 2: July 2025 - December 2025 (6 months)
Kickoff Meeting: August 21, 2025, 1 p.m. CT
Face-to-face Meeting: August 2025
Cohort meeting/ SME session 1: September 18, 2025, 1 p.m. CT
Cohort meeting/SME session 2: October 9, 2025, 1 p.m. CT
Cohort meeting/SME session 3: November 6, 2025, 1 p.m. CT
Cohort meeting/Close out session: December 4, 2025, 1 p.m. CT
Judging Criteria
NASA selects proposals that offer the most advantageous research and development (R&D), deliver technological innovation that contributes to NASA’s missions, provides societal benefit, and grows the U.S. economy. In evaluating proposals, NASA prioritizes the scientific and technical merit of the proposal, as well as its feasibility and potential benefit to NASA's interests (as described in the judging criteria below).
Each proposal is evaluated and scored on its own merit using the evaluation factors described below:
Section
Description
Overall Weight
Scientific/Technical Merit
Evaluation of proposed R&D effort on innovative and feasible technical approach to NASA problem area.
Demonstration of relevance to one or more NASA missions and/or programmatic needs.
Clear presentation of specific objectives, approaches, and plans for developing and verifying innovation.
Demonstration of clear understanding of the problem and current state of the art.
Assessment of understanding and significance of risks involved in the proposed innovation.
50%
Experience, Qualifications, and Facilities
Evaluation of technical capabilities and experience of Principal Investigator (PI), project manager, key personnel, staff, consultants, and subcontractors.
Assessment of consistency between research effort and level of support from involved parties.
Demonstration of adequate instrumentation or facilities required for the project.
Detailed consideration of any reliance on external sources, such as Government-furnished equipment or facilities.
25%
Feasibility & Reasonableness
Evaluation of whether the proposed plan, schedule, and budget is appropriate for the project/activity
MPLAN 2025 will feature topic areas from the Mission Directorates listed below. Please visit this page on February 10th, 2025 to learn about the topic areas for each Mission Directorate.
Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD)
NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) is responsible for enabling sustained human exploration missions and operations in our solar system.
About the Human Research Program (HRP):
HRP uses research to develop methods to protect the health and performance of astronauts in space. With the goal of traveling to Mars and beyond, HRP is using ground research facilities, the International Space Station, and analog environments to enable cutting-edge science. One of the HRP disciplines is exposure to space radiation, led by the Space Radiation Element.
About the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH):
The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) is an applied space health research catalyst that funds disruptive, high-impact scientific studies and technologies to equip astronauts for deep space exploration. Founded on October 1, 2016, TRISH works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) through Cooperative Agreement NNX16AO69A.
About the Research and Technology Program (RTP):
The Research and Technology Program resides at the Kennedy Space Center, which is one of 10 NASA field centers. The Center is a premier multiuser spaceport with more than 90 private-sector partners and nearly 250 partnership agreements. And the presence of commercial companies is larger than ever before, enabling us to embark on a new era of space exploration. Although Kennedy is the agency’s main launch site, the Center also is home to facilities that research and develop innovative solutions that government and commercial space ventures need for working and living on the surfaces of the Moon and other bodies in our solar system.
Human Research Program (HRP)
About the Human Research Program
HRP uses research to develop methods to protect the health and performance of astronauts in space. With the goal of traveling to Mars and beyond, HRP is using ground research facilities, the International Space Station, and analog environments to enable cutting-edge science. One of the HRP disciplines is exposure to space radiation, led by the Space Radiation Element.
About the Space Radiation Element
The Space Radiation Element (SRE) is one of five scientific elements of the Human Research Program (HRP) charged with understanding and mitigating the human health risks of spaceflight. Specifically, the mission of SRE is to characterize and facilitate the management of the human health outcomes associated with space radiation exposure to protect astronaut health and wellbeing, as well as to enable human space exploration.
Connecting SRE to these Topics
Constant exposure to the space radiation environment is one of numerous hazards astronauts encounter during spaceflight that impact human health. High priority research topics are related to health outcomes expected to be associated with space radiation exposure including carcinogenesis, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and changes to the central nervous system (CNS) that impact astronaut health and performance. While terrestrial research demonstrates impacts to these systems, little human data exists to robustly characterize these impacts in the space radiation environment. The space radiation environment differs from that present on Earth (e.g. x- and gamma-rays) due to the presence of high-energy particles including protons, heavy ions, and neutrons. Particles produce densely ionizing tracks and impart clustered damage difficult for cells to repair and current animal and cellular research suggests damage induced by particle radiation could increase health effects compared to x- or gamma-rays.
Differences in the response to radiation is observed between sexes across a variety of biological outcomes associated with carcinogenesis, cardiovascular disease, and changes to the central nervous system (CNS) that may impact astronaut health and performance. To better characterize the health risks associated with space radiation exposure, it is necessary to explore and define the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism following exposure to space radiation. Of particular interest are translational biomarkers or bioindicators relevant to changes in cognitive and/or behavioral performance, cardiovascular function, and the development of carcinogenesis in non-sex-specific organs.
Respondents can propose the following types of activities:
Conduct a technique or technology demonstration that demonstrates utility for space radiation research applications either in ground-based experiments or for spaceflight and can be used as justification for future studies and/or HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant applications.
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant application which can include tissue and/or data sharing opportunities with research collaborators.
Tissue samples can include, but are not limited to, samples that have already been, or are in the process of, being collected and stored as well as tissues from other external archived banks (e.g., http://janus.northwestern.edu/janus2/index.php).
Relevant tissue samples and data from other externally funded (e.g., non-NASA) programs and tissue repositories/archives for comparison with high linear energy transfer (LET), medical proton, neutron and other exposures can be proposed.
Conduct a literature review of the topic to familiarize the investigator team with the state of the relevant research, NASA’s perspective, current research gaps, and opportunities to further the state of the science. This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply to relevant SRE research gaps and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal as an open access publication. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant budget for and plan to attend two (2) workshops or scientific conferences to showcase their work and network with thought leaders within the relevant scientific fields. Specifically, it is expected that the applicant will submit an abstract to the 2026 NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop which will be held in January or February 2026, in Galveston, TX (required), and at least one additional scientific conference relevant to the selected topic.
Strategies to develop countermeasures against terrestrial radiation exposure typically revolve around agents either that 1) alter the physical interactions of normal tissues to direct exposure (i.e., scavenging the reactive oxygen species generated by the radiolysis of water) or 2) mitigate the downstream biological processes following exposure (i.e., reducing the radiation-induced inflammatory response). Clinical radioprotectors are administered before a planned therapeutic exposure(s) to reduce the likelihood and severity of undesirable side effects. To date, Amifostine is the only FDA-approved radioprotector, but the potential side effects, including severe anaphylactic reactions, reduce the operational utility for spaceflight. Radiomitigators are given following and unexpected exposure such as a terrorist attack or an accidental occupational exposure. Space radiation exposures differ from terrestrial exposures both in the type of radiation experienced and the rates at which those exposures occur. The quality and dose rate of radiation experienced in the deep space environment present unique challenges in terms of replicating them on the ground, estimating health risks from such exposures and developing strategies to counteract those risks. Traditional in vivo strategies to assess interventional countermeasure efficacy require long-term follow up and large animal cohorts, which limit feasible throughput. Time and resource constraints limit the number of compounds that can be tested using these strategies prior to a Mars mission where the exposure to space radiation exceeds NASA’s permissible exposure limits (PELs). Therefore, strategies that accelerate countermeasure identification, prioritization, and validation need to be developed to improve likelihood of success. New high-throughput screening and informatics technologies to pursue large-scale agnostic countermeasure identification in combination with more targeted, informational approaches represent an attractive comprehensive strategy. These approaches would require the identification of relevant surrogate biomarkers for initiation of long-term health outcomes that could confidently predict disease in models appropriate for this “big science” approach. Proposals are sought to identify and/or develop screening techniques to assess compound-based countermeasure efficacy in modulating biological responses to radiation exposure relevant to the high priority health risks of cancer, CVD, and/or CNS. Techniques that can be translated into high-throughput screening protocols are highly desired, however high-content protocols will also be considered responsive. Countermeasures and screening techniques focused on acute radiation effects rather than the priority long-term health impacts listed above will not be considered responsive.
Respondents can propose the following types of activities:
Conduct a technique or technology demonstration that demonstrates utility for space radiation research applications either in ground-based experiments or for spaceflight and can be used as justification for future studies and/or HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant applications.
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant application which can include tissue and/or data sharing opportunities with research collaborators.
Tissue samples can include, but are not limited to, samples that have already been, or are in the process of, being collected and stored as well as tissues from other external archived banks (e.g., http://janus.northwestern.edu/janus2/index.php).
Relevant tissue samples and data from other externally funded (e.g., non-NASA) programs and tissue repositories/archives for comparison with high linear energy transfer (LET), medical proton, neutron and other exposures can be proposed.
Conduct a literature review of the topic to familiarize the investigator team with the state of the relevant research, NASA’s perspective, current research gaps, and opportunities to further the state of the science. This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply to relevant SRE research gaps and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal as an open access publication. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant budget for and plan to attend two (2) workshops or scientific conferences to showcase their work and network with thought leaders within the relevant scientific fields. Specifically, it is expected that the applicant will submit an abstract to the 2026 NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop which will be held in January or February 2026, in Galveston, TX (required), and at least one additional scientific conference relevant to the selected topic.
Although innate inflammatory immune responses are necessary for survival from infections and injury, dysregulated and persistent inflammation is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic conditions in humans, including CVD. A main contributor to the development of inflammatory diseases involves activation of inflammasomes. Recently, inflammasome activation has been increasingly linked to an increased risk and greater severity of CVD. Characterization of the role of inflammasome-mediated pathogenesis of disease after space-like chronic radiation exposure can provide evidence to better quantify space radiation risks as well as identify high value for countermeasure development. Proposals are sought to explore and evaluate the role of the inflammasome in the pathogenesis of radiation-associated cardiovascular disease (CVD), carcinogenesis, and/or central nervous system (CNS) changes that impact behavioral and cognitive function.
Respondents can propose the following types of activities:
Conduct a technique or technology demonstration that demonstrates utility for space radiation research applications either in ground-based experiments or for spaceflight and can be used as justification for future studies and/or HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant applications.
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant application which can include tissue and/or data sharing opportunities with research collaborators.
Tissue samples can include, but are not limited to, samples that have already been, or are in the process of, being collected and stored as well as tissues from other external archived banks (e.g., http://janus.northwestern.edu/janus2/index.php).
Relevant tissue samples and data from other externally funded (e.g., non-NASA) programs and tissue repositories/archives for comparison with high linear energy transfer (LET), medical proton, neutron and other exposures can be proposed.
Conduct a literature review of the topic to familiarize the investigator team with the state of the relevant research, NASA’s perspective, current research gaps, and opportunities to further the state of the science. This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply to relevant SRE research gaps and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal as an open access publication. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant budget for and plan to attend two (2) workshops or scientific conferences to showcase their work and network with thought leaders within the relevant scientific fields. Specifically, it is expected that the applicant will submit an abstract to the 2026 NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop which will be held in January or February 2026, in Galveston, TX (required), and at least one additional scientific conference relevant to the selected topic.
One of the threats to astronaut health associated with Mars missions is the distance from Earth. Unlike ISS or Lunar missions, the ability to return crew for robust medical treatment is impossible. The capability to assess an astronaut’s individual susceptibility prior to flight, monitor astronaut health in-mission, predict, and monitor astronaut health post-flight, and provide an avenue for early detection of high-risk cancers and other degenerative effects like cardiovascular disease or neurodegeneration across astronaut lifespan is important to minimize the long-term health consequences of space radiation exposure and inform standard of care. Therefore, identification and validation of new and emerging biomedical approaches for early detection and treatment of pre-malignant tissues is necessary for the surveillance of astronaut health over their lifetimes (including pre-flight, in-mission, and post-flight) and assessment of risks to long term health pre-flight, in-mission, and post-flight remains a paramount endeavor.
Respondents can propose the following types of activities:
Conduct a technique or technology demonstration that demonstrates utility for space radiation research applications either in ground-based experiments or for spaceflight and can be used as justification for future studies and/or HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant applications.
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant application which can include tissue and/or data sharing opportunities with research collaborators.
Tissue samples can include, but are not limited to, samples that have already been, or are in the process of, being collected and stored as well as tissues from other external archived banks (e.g., http://janus.northwestern.edu/janus2/index.php).
Relevant tissue samples and data from other externally funded (e.g., non-NASA) programs and tissue repositories/archives for comparison with high linear energy transfer (LET), medical proton, neutron and other exposures can be proposed.
Conduct a literature review of the topic to familiarize the investigator team with the state of the relevant research, NASA’s perspective, current research gaps, and opportunities to further the state of the science. This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply to relevant SRE research gaps and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal as an open access publication. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant budget for and plan to attend two (2) workshops or scientific conferences to showcase their work and network with thought leaders within the relevant scientific fields. Specifically, it is expected that the applicant will submit an abstract to the 2026 NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop which will be held in January or February 2026, in Galveston, TX (required), and at least one additional scientific conference relevant to the selected topic.
The uncertainties in how low-dose-rate exposures to particle radiation affect the risk of radiation-associated adverse health outcomes are a major contributor to overall uncertainty in risk estimates. Current risk estimates are primarily based on human epidemiological evidence from the Life Span Study (LSS) of atomic bomb survivors who experienced a single, acute dose of radiation composed primarily of γ-rays with a contribution from neutrons. However, astronauts are exposed to a chronic low-dose-rate space radiation environment. Therefore, risk estimates from acute exposures are scaled using a dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) to reflect the chronic nature of space radiation. The current NASA model applies a central estimate for the DDREF of 1.5 to solid cancer risk estimates that was selected based on the BEIR VII report, which assessed terrestrial human epidemiological and animal data. The uncertainty distribution around the central estimate (95% CI: 0.83 to 2.67) is based on terrestrial human epidemiological data, animal data, and cellular data. Both relative increases and decreases in carcinogenesis-related outcomes have been correlated with changes in dose-rate, dependent on examined endpoints, radiation type, and total dose. Additionally, the interaction between radiation quality, total dose and dose-rate has not been fully established. Limited human epidemiological data is available that may provide a more relevant description of the effects of the chronic or protracted low dose-rate exposures in the context of astronaut risk. It is important to note that particle radiation does not deliver dose at a low dose-rate in a conventional (averaged over a volume) context because particles deposit energy as discrete, clustered ionization events, highlighting the importance of micro-dosimetry. Technological limitations in ground-based accelerator design and capability have largely limited the generation of large experimental data sets that address dose-rate effects for particle exposures. Additionally, no data currently exists to provide understanding for the role of dose-rate in a mixed particle radiation field approximating space. Therefore, more data is necessary to characterize the role of dose-rate in radiation carcinogenesis for chronic space radiation exposures. Research proposals are sought to identify and/or develop novel in vitro human research models specifically to assess the role of low-dose rate space radiation-like exposure on human cancer risk.
Respondents can propose the following types of activities:
Conduct a technique or technology demonstration that demonstrates utility for space radiation research applications either in ground-based experiments or for spaceflight and can be used as justification for future studies and/or HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant applications.
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future HRP OMNIBUS or FLAGSHIP grant application which can include tissue and/or data sharing opportunities with research collaborators.
Tissue samples can include, but are not limited to, samples that have already been, or are in the process of, being collected and stored as well as tissues from other external archived banks (e.g., http://janus.northwestern.edu/janus2/index.php).
Relevant tissue samples and data from other externally funded (e.g., non-NASA) programs and tissue repositories/archives for comparison with high linear energy transfer (LET), medical proton, neutron and other exposures can be proposed.
Conduct a literature review of the topic to familiarize the investigator team with the state of the relevant research, NASA’s perspective, current research gaps, and opportunities to further the state of the science. This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply to relevant SRE research gaps and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication in a peer-reviewed journal as an open access publication. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant budget for and plan to attend two (2) workshops or scientific conferences to showcase their work and network with thought leaders within the relevant scientific fields. Specifically, it is expected that the applicant will submit an abstract to the 2026 NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop which will be held in January or February 2026, in Galveston, TX (required), and at least one additional scientific conference relevant to the selected topic.
Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH)
About the Translational Research Institute for Space Health
The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) is an applied space health research catalyst that funds disruptive, high-impact scientific studies and technologies to equip astronauts for deep space exploration. Founded on October 1, 2016, TRISH works in partnership with NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) through Cooperative Agreement NNX16AO69A.
Connecting TRISH to these Topics
TRISH relentlessly pursues and funds novel research to deliver high-impact scientific and technological solutions that advance space health and help humans thrive wherever they explore, in space or on Earth. TRISH is interested in the analysis of overlap between terrestrial health and tools, techniques, or processes that could be used to advance space health.
For more information about discipline areas that present a risk or challenge to human health and performance in space, please see the NASA Human Research Program Human Research Roadmap (HRP HRR). For information about TRISH’s initiatives please visit the TRISH Broad Institute Announcement. For additional information on high-priority topic areas for TRISH, please visit TRISH’s openly posted Catalyst Solicitation here: https://spacehealth.bcm.edu/prog/catalyst_2024_program/
Respondents can propose the following types of activities in their response to a topic:
Conduct a short proof-of-concept experiment for existing techniques or technologies that are developed for Earth but may be useful in space and used as justification for future studies and grant applications;
Obtain relevant preliminary data that can be used in a future grant application;
Conduct a literature review to familiarize the investigator team with NASA’s perspective and the framing of a “risk.” This work will be helpful to identify how the team’s current research could apply in space health and be used to inform a future grant application. It is encouraged that this effort culminates in a publication where applicable. It is recommended that funds are protected for this purpose.
It is expected that the applicant attends 1-2 workshops or conferences. It is recommended that funds are protected for these networking opportunities. It is required that the applicant submit an abstract and present at the NASA HRP Investigators’ Workshop in late January or early February 2026 in Galveston, TX.
Moving away from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) requires a paradigm shift in how medical care is delivered in space. In the current system, there is a heavy reliance on communication with the ground which will be a significant challenge for missions to Mars. New tools will be needed to empower astronauts to make health care and performance decisions without relying on contact with mission control. Advancements are required to enable remote healthcare delivery and enable astronauts to stay healthy while further from Earth for longer than ever before.
Biomedical monitoring tools will be needed to enable advanced healthcare away from Earth that are smaller or more unobtrusive and can replace currently used monitoring methods. These tools can also take the form of capabilities like artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to interpret health status based on personalized health data collection. Additionally, it is expected that astronauts will not be able to train in all medical care techniques that might be needed on a mission or may need refreshers, so remote just-in-time training tools are also a current need. Finally, as we move further away from Earth and there is no capability to resupply, improvements are needed in capabilities that support overall human health and performance, such as extending the shelf life of pre-packaged or freshly grown foods as well as repackaging medications into smaller packages that have long shelf lives.
This topic is aligned with TRISH’s Human and Environmental Research Matrix for Exploration of Space (HERMES) initiative; proposers should consider how the data obtained, knowledge generated, and tools developed in response to this topic ultimately relate to the ability to provide adequate health care to the future and expanding spacefaring population.
To support effective remote healthcare in future spaceflight as we move away from LEO, we will need to personalize better the way that care is delivered. More personalized healthcare will enable more effective use of a future spacecraft's limited mass, power, and volume resources. Projects can include but are not limited to validating new biomarkers, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics investigations, and using advanced biological systems (i.e. tissue chips, organoids, microphysiological systems, etc.) to define individual susceptibility, as well as advancing precision health.
This topic is aligned with TRISH’s HERMES and Science ENterprise to INform Exploration Limits (SENTINEL) initiatives; proposers should consider how the data obtained in this section ultimately relates to the ability to provide adequate and personalized health care to the future and expanding spacefaring population.
As we move away from LEO, research in space will need to change. The current system heavily relies on communication with the ground and sample return, which will be a significant challenge for missions to Mars. Advancements are needed to improve remote research capabilities to enable effective science in new environments. Projects can include but are not limited to enabling unobtrusive data collection and using advanced biological systems (i.e. tissue chips, organoids, microphysiological systems, etc.) to identify new countermeasures to HRP relevant risks.
This topic is aligned with TRISH’s SENTINEL initiative; proposers should consider how the data obtained in this section ultimately relates to the ability to conduct adequate research in remote environments.
Research and Technology Program (RTP)
The Research and Technology Program resides at the Kennedy Space Center, which is one of 10 NASA field centers. The Center is a premier multiuser spaceport with more than 90 private-sector partners and nearly 250 partnership agreements. And the presence of commercial companies is larger than ever before, enabling us to embark on a new era of space exploration. Although Kennedy is the agency’s main launch site, the Center also is home to facilities that research and develop innovative solutions that government and commercial space ventures need for working and living on the surfaces of the Moon and other bodies in our solar system.
Simulating microgravity on earth is a complicated process. We are looking for proposals to improve how this is accomplished.
Methodology: Perform an extensive analysis, utilizing multiphysics simulation software packages (such as Ansys), to determine:
Are the devices currently utilized accurately simulating microgravity? Are there others that are better? The selected software package can be utilized to simulate the devices and observe the effects upon various test subjects
Is the software package accurately simulating the microgravity devices? Should a different software package even be utilized for this task?
Compare and contrast the results between the software package and the microgravity simulation devices. What adjustments/modifications (if any) should be implemented to ensure the reliability of the methodologies employed?
List of Simulation Devices: Random Positioning Machines (RPMs); 2-D and 3-D Clinostats; Rotating Wall Vessel Bioreactors
List of Test Subjects (to name a few): Plants; seeds; stem cells
Background: NASA is currently investigating microgreens as a fresh food source to supplement key nutrients in the astronauts’ packaged food diet that have been shown to degrade over time. The current method for growing crops on the ISS utilizes plant pillows inside the Veggie plant growth chamber. To initiate growth, astronauts must manually inject water into the plant pillows using a syringe which requires a considerable amount of crew time. This approach inherently poses challenges to plant health and causes variable growth due to irregular fluid mechanics in microgravity that often result in over-watering or drought. Secondly, microgravity simulation studies for testing microgreen cultivation on Earth have proven to be challenging due to the use of nutrient solutions where leaks pose the risk of damaging hardware and introducing microbial contamination, raising food safety concerns.
Problem Statement: We are interested in furthering growing microgreens in microgravity. We are looking for studies and/or proven concepts of hardware capable of cultivating microgreens throughout an entire microgravity simulation ground experiment or in spaceflight, without having to address hardware malfunctions due to leakages, or replenishing nutrient solution volume.
Background: Programs such as the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM-1), Gateway, and others within the DoD have found that the optimization of performing a liquid or gas vent into space lacks an available accurate, end-to-end analytical model. Operational changes could be used for vent optimization such as starting pressure and temperature along with design techniques such as orifice sizing and vent nozzle design. This sort of model would enable optimization to minimize mission risk as well as reduce required ground testing to develop the hardware.
Problem Statement: We are looking for studies or proven concepts of the development of a fluid dynamics model for ejecting a liquid or gas into the space environment (vacuum and microgravity).
For Example, a model could include the coupling of a typical Navier-Stokes continuum fluid dynamics model with a Monte-Carlo model for the rarefied region.
Background: There’s a high barrier to entry into the small satellite market. From having a general understanding of what it takes to produce an idea, design it, build it, test it, launch it and subsequently operating the small sat to obtaining university departments to help with the associated engineering and science disciplines and in the process with the small sat design/build. In addition, university departments tend to work within their disciplines, where a small sat is really a system engineering problem (e.g., engaging many engineering and science disciplines in its life cycle).
Problem Statement: We are looking for the following:
Development of a learning approach/methodology that can be used to help university researchers and students to quickly come up to speed in all aspects associated of designing/building a small sat (e.g., a comprehensive set of training modules, video lectures, PowerPoint presentations, etc.),
Development of a proposed architecture within a university engineering and science departments that would aid in leveraging all the expertise to help in the small sat development.
Material developed will be expected to be published as to disseminate the material to others.
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD)
The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) conducts research that generates concepts, tools, and technologies to enable advances in our nation’s aviation future. ARMD programs facilitate a safer, more environmentally friendly, and efficient national air transportation system.
Results achieved by NASA’s aeronautical innovators through the years directly benefits today's air transportation system, the aviation industry, and the passengers and businesses who rely on those advances in flight every day.
As a result, today every U.S. commercial aircraft and U.S. air traffic control tower uses NASA-developed technology to improve efficiency and maintain safety. That’s why we say “NASA is with you when you fly!”
Yet there still is so much more to explore, so much more to learn.
Scientists, engineers, programmers, test pilots, facilities managers, strategic planners, and people with many other skills – the entire NASA ARMD family – are focused on transforming aviation to make it more sustainable and more accessible than ever before.
University Leadership Initiative (ULI) is a portfolio item in Transformative Aeronautics Concept Program’s (TACP) University Innovation Project. ULI provides an opportunity for the U.S. university community to receive NASA funding and take the lead in building their own teams and setting their own research agenda with goals that support and complement the ARMD and its Strategic Implementation Plan.
By addressing the most complex challenges associated with NASA Aeronautics research goals, universities will accelerate progress toward achievement of high impact outcomes while leveraging their capability to bring together the best and brightest minds across many disciplines. In order to transition their research – a key goal for all ULI teams – participants are expected to actively explore transition opportunities and pursue follow-on funding from stakeholders and industrial partners during the course of the prize.
Proposing institutions are invited and encouraged to incorporate other colleges or universities, industry members, non-profit organizations, or other U.S.-based entities as team members. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and other minority-serving institutions are encouraged to participate.
An important part of the leadership role assumed by proposing organizations involves including, nurturing, and fully integrating the capabilities of partner schools that may be less established or have less prior experience working on NASA Aeronautics research projects.
The ULI Strategic Goals are:
Make a Difference: Achieving aviation outcomes defined in the ARMD Strategic Implementation. Plan through NASA-complementary research.
Transitioning Research: Research results to an appropriate range of stakeholders that lead to a continuation of the research.
Developing the Nation’s Future Workforce: Broad opportunities for students at different levels, including graduate students and undergraduates at universities, community colleges and trade schools, to participate in aeronautics research.
Promoting Diversity: Greater diversity in aeronautics through increased participation of minority-serving institutions and underrepresented university faculties in ULI activities. ULI is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R&D) with the potential for commercialization of promising innovations. Through competitive SBIR and STTR awards-based programs, small businesses are able to explore the technological potential of their innovations. These programs provide the incentive to profit from the commercialization of innovations.
MUREP Planning Grant Priorities for ARMD
The goals of this ARMD section of the planning grant are to:
Stimulate creative engagements between MSI researchers and ARMD on areas of mutual interest within the scope of the ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan andARMD's Six Strategic Thrusts.
Enable viable partnerships for competing in the annual ULI solicitation, specifically Round 8 of ULI that is expected to be released in 2025.
Develop new technologies which support the ARMD mission.
The outcome of successful proposals to the ARMD section of the planning grant activity is to thoroughly prepare MSI teams with action plans to respond to the annual ULI solicitation release, either as leads or as partners. Round 8 of ULI on NSPIRES is available as a guide/example of an ULI solicitation.
Within the United States, NextGen is the focus for a modernized air transportation system that will support anticipated growth in demand and is operationally efficient while maintaining or improving safety and other performance measures. ARMD will contribute specific research and technology to enable the realization of NextGen and continued development beyond for the Info-Centric National Airspace System (NAS) to achieve safe, scalable, routine, high-tempo airspace access for all users. Similar ongoing international developments, such as the European Union’s Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research effort, are being globally harmonized through the International Civil Aviation Organization. ARMD also will work with the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystem, developing concepts and technologies to enable a safe, scalable system for the growth of this new transportation sector. Projected growth in air travel of all types will require a sustained focus on reducing risks to maintain acceptable levels of safety; to that end, ARMD will work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, and others to perform research and contribute technology that addresses current and future safety risks.
Development of efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally compatible commercial high-speed transports could be a game changer for transcontinental and intercontinental transportation, providing an opportunity to maintain U.S. leadership in aviation systems and generate economic and societal benefits in a globally linked world. To achieve practical and affordable commercial high-speed air travel, ARMD will focus on advancing groundbreaking technologies that overcome barriers to reducing its environmental impact – including use of sustainable aviation fuels -- and realizing innovative economic efficiencies. Since overcoming these barriers likely will involve modifications to regulations and certification standards for high-speed flight, ARMD will conduct its research in cooperation with the FAA, International Civil Aviation Organization, and other aviation regulatory agencies.
Significant improvements in aircraft efficiency, coupled with reductions in noise and harmful emissions, are critical to realizing the aviation community’s projections for growth while achieving increasingly challenging national and international environmental sustainability goals. ARMD seeks to enable substantial efficiency gains through vehicle and propulsion technologies. This includes innovative alternative energy-based propulsion systems through the hybrid-electrification of aircraft propulsion in the mid-term, and reduced demands on sustainable aviation fuel production and potential use of other renewable, non-drop-in energy/fuel solutions in the far-term. ARMD also is working to enable substantial reductions in time and cost to market of aircraft through advanced materials, structures, and manufacturing technologies and enhanced digitalization of the full aircraft life cycle to accelerate aircraft benefits into service. ARMD will work across government, the transport industry, and academia to develop critical technologies to enable revolutionary improvements in economics and environmental performance for subsonic transports. ARMD will actively seek opportunities to transition to alternative propulsion and energy for all categories of subsonic transports, including short-haul and regional aircraft but with an emphasis on large commercial aircraft that dominate aviation’s impact on the environment.
The aviation community expects new and cost-effective uses of aviation including advanced vertical takeoff and landing vehicles and other novel small aircraft that could provide air travel as another transportation mode where it has not historically been practical. Intra-city air travel could provide unprecedented availability and potentially shorter origin-to-destination travel times compared to other modes of transportation. While this capability is expected to greatly increase the demand for air service and significantly increase the number of flights, this mode of air travel will only be practical if the advanced aircraft utilized for these operations provide acceptable levels of safety while reducing their environmental footprint (noise and emissions) compared to existing vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. ARMD will work across government, industry, and academia to develop critical technologies to enable realization of extensive use of vertical lift vehicles for transportation services, including new missions and markets associated with AAM.
In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance (ISSA) is a safety net that utilizes system-wide information to provide alerting and mitigation strategies in time to address emerging risks. Moving forward, aviation safety needs to take advantage of modern information availability and intelligent systems. New operational concepts will change and diversify aviation and create the need for advanced safety capabilities that operate on a broad scale. ISSA will incorporate both advanced technologies and collaboration between humans and intelligent agents. ISSA must be both system-wide and distributed. The vision for ISSA is to predict, detect, and mitigate emerging safety risks throughout aviation systems and operations.
Ever-increasing levels of automation and autonomy leveraging modern information availability are transforming aviation and the transportation of both people and goods, and this trend will continue to accelerate. ARMD will lead in the research and development of intelligent machine systems capable of operating in complex environments, including the safe integration of larger Unmanned Aircraft Systems and smaller AAM vehicles into the NAS. A collection of complementary methods will be utilized to provide safety assurance, verification, and validation of these systems. To pave the way for increasingly autonomous airspace and vehicles, ARMD will explore human-machine teaming strategies. Advanced metrics, models, and testbeds will enable the effective evaluation of autonomous systems in both laboratory and operational settings to safely implement autonomy in aviation applications.
NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) is an activity under the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), administered through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement.
MUREP funding is made available to proposers from community colleges classified as Minority Serving Institutions (MSI). The intent of the funding opportunity is to equip community college campuses with resources for implementing the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) activity with students from their home campus and/or regional area, for 2-year degree seeking students, focusing on NASA’s mission goals, collaboration, career pathways and a robotics competition. Students participating in the NCAS activity can expect to advance their capabilities in STEM, helping to prepare them for entering STEM fields. Evaluation results demonstrate that students who participate in NCAS strengthen their STEM identity, their understanding of career options, and increase their motivation and persistence in pursuing their academic and professional goals.
The NCAS Robotics Competition is an in-person engagement, where students collaborate with team members as a fictitious aerospace company vying for a NASA rover contract. Working in assigned roles, students utilize STEM-industry mentors to guide the rover design. Student teams complete deliverables by using their designated budget to purchase necessary components to complete the mission and compete against other teams.
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of the robotics competition, students will be able to:
Create an engineering design solution to perform a task.
Gain knowledge and understanding of NASA’s missions and goals.
See themselves transferring to a 4-year university to further their degree and/or entering the STEM workforce.
Connect NCAS experience to other NASA OSTEM opportunities.
A PBS spotlight on a 2024 Robotics Competition hosted by Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA.
Guidelines
The MPLAN NCAS Partner Institutions- Robotics Competition is a 1-year prize challenge and is open to proposers from community colleges classified as minority serving institutions. Once chosen, up to 6 prize recipients will receive $50,000 each to host one NCAS Robotics Competition for at least 40 students at their campus and are welcome to collaborate with other local MSI community colleges.
Eligible community colleges will propose how they will conduct the NCAS Robotics Competition based on the NCAS model.
Proposals should include a plan for recruiting and retaining at least 40 students to fill their on-campus robotics competition roster, how they will share NASA’s mission, how they will share other NASA opportunities available to them (NASA STEM immersive experiences, internships, challenges, etc.), a budget proposal, and include a recruitment/advertising plan.
The NCAS Model
NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) Robotics Competition is a 4 to 5 day, in-person activity, typically consisting of a full day of programming, beginning at 8:00AM and concluding formal programming around 7 P.M., with additional time in the evening for teams to continue working on their rovers. Partner Institutes recruit at least 40 students to form 4 teams of 10 students: Navy, Red, Green, and Gold. Each team is assigned a mentor, someone with an engineering/aerospace background who is currently working in a related field. Each team forms a fictitious aerospace company to compete for a NASA contract. Each fictitious company’s goal must align with NASA’s goals for lunar exploration and with NASA’s work culture and expectations. Prize recipients will be provided a variety of tools, including an optional learning course, a workshop, and supportive documents and information about NASA’s Mission. Teams work with their mentor to determine who will fill each role/job based on knowledge, skills, and interests. They must submit a company organization chart, along with the company name, team norms, a logo, and a motto.
Lunar Infrastructure: Create an interoperable global lunar utilization infrastructure where U.S. industry and international partners can maintain continuous robotic and human presence on the lunar surface for a robust lunar economy without NASA as the sole user, while accomplishing science objectives and testing for Mars.
Mars Infrastructure:Create essential infrastructure to support initial human Mars exploration campaign.
Transportation and Habitation:Develop and demonstrate an integrated system of systems to conduct a campaign of human exploration missions to the Moon and Mars, while living and working on the lunar and Martian surface, with safe return to Earth.
Operations:Conduct human missions on the surface and around the Moon followed by missions to Mars. Using a gradual build-up approach, these missions will demonstrate technologies and operations to live and work on a planetary surface other than Earth, with a safe return to Earth at the completion of the missions.
In this simulation, the fictitious company tries to prove why it should be selected to build the next lunar rover by engineering a rover that performs well in competition, is presented clearly by the students, and is budgeted wisely. Students design and build a rover prototype with a robotics kit (a robotics kit of the hosts choosing), utilizing a power source, sensors, robotic mechanical arms, and wheels, to participate in two mock mission competitions on simulated terrain. Using strategy and budget constraints, teams program different elements on the rover, using brick and software for autonomous navigation. The first competition consists of collecting rocks and scanning for minerals, the second competition consists of retrieving rovers and astronauts, while scanning for minerals. Judges keep track of time, out of bound penalties, and successful mineral, rock, and astronaut retrievals.
Teams create a Statement of Work and provide progress reports to “Headquarters”. They must organize, market, and promote their company and its capabilities in a final presentation and manage their budget within assigned constraints. Teams must build their rovers and adhere to budget and cost considerations/constraints. They can receive fines for not following directions or receive bonuses when completing a task which gives them more money for their overall budget. Based on deliverables, competition and final presentation scores, a winning team is selected.
During the event, Subject Matter Experts are invited to come and present to the students, discussing their backgrounds and current projects. These can be NASA speakers (via NASA Engages) local industry partners with science, engineering, or aerospace backgrounds and/or NCAS alumni.
Students are given the opportunity to visit/tour a local industry partner and a local university. Local industry partners can be a local aerospace company, NASA contractors, or suppliers (like Artemis Partners, found here), or a local NASA Center, museum, or science center that showcases NASA content and public tours, if available. University tours are arranged with the intent of touring STEM laboratories and facilities and learning about their associated programs. This is an opportunity for community college students to explore the possibility of attending a four-year university, ask questions, and be encouraged to continue their education after completing community college with resources, programming or support available to transfer students.
NCAS Student-Team Roles
CEO
Project Manager
Chief/ Systems Engineer
Design/ Research Engineer
Operations Engineer
(Mentor)
(1 NCAS student)
(1 NCAS student)
(1-2 NCAS students)
(1 NCAS student)
Assembly Engineer
Software Engineer
Test Engineer
Procurement Manager/ Financial Officer
Marketing & Communications Manager
(1 NCAS student)
(2 NCAS students)
(1 NCAS student)
(1 NCAS student)
(1 NCAS student)
Typical NCAS Robotics Competition Daily Schedule
8:00AM-8:30AM: Breakfast
8:30AM-12:00PM: Planned programming, or team time
12:00-1:00PM Lunch
1:00-6:00PM: Planned programming or team time
6:00-7:00PM: Dinner
7:00-9:00PM: Team time/Debrief
MPLAN NCAS Partner Institute – Robotics Competition Award Information
Up to 6 prize recipients will receive $50,000 to host one NCAS Robotics Competition event for at least 40 eligible students.
Funds cover:
Meals, lodging, transportation, travel, supplies, staff labor, and any other incidentals.
PI Travel to NASA’s STEM Symposium at Kennedy Space Center, August 5-7, 2025. .
Eligibility
Proposers shall identify one or more local campuses that meet the following requirements:
Accredited community college or 2-year institution
Sufficient enrollment of community college students who meet the eligibility requirements for NCAS stated below; multiple institutions within a state can collaborate to meet this requirement.
Eligibility requirements for NCAS students are:
a. U.S. Citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), Permanent Resident Aliens (PRA), or Green Card Holders
b. High school graduate or equivalent and at least 18 years of age.
c. Registered at a US community college during NCAS; and
d. Completion of or enrollment in 9 or more semester hours or credits of STEM coursework.
The MPLAN NCAS Partner Institute- Robotics Competition is run independently from the NASA NCAS Mission 1, 2 and 3 cycle. Students do not need to participate in the regular NCAS Mission Cycle to be eligible for this opportunity- they need only fit the general eligibility requirements outlined above and be enrolled at the participating community colleges of the Robotics Competition.
Proposal Elements
Proposals should include the following elements:
Demonstrate how the Partner Institute will carry out the NCAS Model and how they will share about NASA’s Missions and other NASA opportunities.
Local community college collaboration - Proposers may identify a lead campus to collaborate with multiples campuses within a local region to meet enrollment requirements. Collaborating campuses must be MSI or non-MSI, accredited 2-year institutions.
Proposers shall illustrate how each campus meets eligibility requirements, has existing or planned quality STEM programs and activities on campus, and institutional support for the inclusion of NCAS as part of those programs and activities.
Successful proposals shall also identify faculty responsible for coordinating the NCAS Robotics Competition and identify established connections to the aerospace industry or NASA-related university research labs that will be leveraged to produce mentors, judges, and speakers for the NCAS event.
Proposals shall include a plan for recruiting and retaining at least 40 community college students and show opportunities for reaching more students on campus.
Proposers shall include a plan for sharing about NASA’s Missions and other NASA Opportunities, such as internships, fellowships, and other NASA OSTEM and MUREP activities and student engagements. They should also illustrate which university and local industry partners they will utilize and how they relate and contribute to the students experience and the NCAS model.
Subject Matter Experts- Proposers shall demonstrate how local Subject Matter Expert support will be solicited and utilized.
Proposals shall include a clear budget plan and how the $50,000 will be utilized to execute the Robotics Competition.
Proposals shall include a thorough recruitment and advertising plan.
Page Limit- five (5) pages (not including budget content)
NASA STEM Gateway
For reporting purposes, it is recommended and encouraged that awardees utilize the NASA STEM Gateway tool to report student data.
What makes a good proposal candidate?
Located in a STEM-rich environment with ease of access to industry and other two- and four-year institutions of higher learning.
Ability to advertise and recruit.
Willingness to adhere to the NCAS model.
Ability to host a multi-day robotics competition on campus.
Willingness to promote NASA programs and opportunities to students.
Willingness to share about NASA missions and goals.
Interested in learning more about the NASA MPLAN 2025? Then join next Thursday, April 10th at 2:00 PM Eastern (11:00 AM PT / 1:00 CT) for a live pre-proposal webinar with NASA and HeroX about MPLAN 2025. We will hear directly from the MPLAN team and the mission directorates who have sponsored topic areas for this year's cohort. You won't want to miss this opportunity to get the inside scoop on the MPLAN 2025 Challenge!
