Appendix B: Solicitation of Proposals for Flight and Ground Space Biology Research
Agency: NASA Headquarters
Assistance Listings
- 43.003 -- Exploration
Archived opportunityLast Updated: May 13, 2026
View version history on Grants.gov
Description
Solicitation Number: NNH18ZTT001N-FG
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Step 1 Proposals Due: January 16, 2019
Step 2 Proposals Due: March 15, 2019
Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) – 2018 “Appendix B: Solicitation of Proposals for Flight and Ground Space Biology Research” NNH16ZTT001N-FG
2. Plant Biology studies in support of Human Space Exploration making maximal use of the capabilities of the VEGGIE and Advanced Plant Habitat) on ISS to study environmental effects on plant growth and interactions with microbes and fungi. Proposed studies should answer fundamental questions about how plants adapt to spaceflight and provide new understanding of how to grow plants in space that will enable human space exploration.
3. Animal Biology (vertebrate and invertebrate) in support of Human Space Exploration.
4. Studies designed to compare results and validity of microgravity “simulators” in parallel with flight and ground-based studies.
Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division,
NASA Headquarters
Phone: 202-358-2211
Email: dtomko@nasa.gov
NASA award information for this NRA is available from:
Theresa Stanley
Lead Grant Officer
NASA Shared Services Center
Phone: (228) 813-6196
Email: theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Step 1 Proposals Due: January 16, 2019
Step 2 Proposals Due: March 15, 2019
Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) – 2018 “Appendix B: Solicitation of Proposals for Flight and Ground Space Biology Research” NNH16ZTT001N-FG
This Appendix to the Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) - 2018 NASA Omnibus Research Announcement solicits proposals that will increase NASA’s understanding of how living systems acclimate to spaceflight to support human space exploration.
The solicited research will fall into the following four research emphases:
1. Microbiology studies that will produce new understanding to augment and expand our knowledge of the Microbiology of the Built Environment (MoBE) in Space and suggest how to manipulate and control it in the closed environment of exploration spacecraft.
2. Plant Biology studies in support of Human Space Exploration making maximal use of the capabilities of the VEGGIE and Advanced Plant Habitat) on ISS to study environmental effects on plant growth and interactions with microbes and fungi. Proposed studies should answer fundamental questions about how plants adapt to spaceflight and provide new understanding of how to grow plants in space that will enable human space exploration.
3. Animal Biology (vertebrate and invertebrate) in support of Human Space Exploration.
4. Studies designed to compare results and validity of microgravity “simulators” in parallel with flight and ground-based studies.
The types of experiments solicited by this Appendix include the following, based on the award type (please see the solicitation for descriptions of specific award types): Flight experiments using the ISS, or suborbital and parabolic flight platforms to test, develop, or refine flight hypotheses; Ground-based experiments conducted in non-NASA or NASA laboratories, including drop tower facilities, and/or specialized centrifuge facilities to study gravity as a continuum; Individual PI- led or team-based studies.
Proposals must address Space Biology research emphases, visions, and goals identified in the ROSBio-2018 Omnibus NRA or in the Space Biology Science Plan 2016-2025, and/or recommendations from the Decadal Survey.
Awards from this solicitation will range from $300,000 total over three years for Space Biology studies that utilize parabolic and suborbital flights, to up to $1,200,000 total over three years for team-based studies.
Appendix B can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ROSBio18-FG. Step-1 proposals will be due Jan. 16, 2019 at 5 PM Eastern Time, and invited Step-2 full length proposals will be due March 15, 2019 at 5 PM Eastern Time. Proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Proposers may use either NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com/) or Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) for Step-1 proposal submission. Please see the solicitation for instructions regarding the submission of Step-2 proposals.
All categories of U.S. institutions are eligible to submit proposals in response to this Appendix. Principal Investigators (PIs) and collaborators may be from universities, Federal Government laboratories, the private sector, state and local government laboratories and other countries with the exception of China.
Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to Appendix B must be registered in NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit electronic proposals. Instructions on how to register in NSPIRES are described in the omnibus NRA (ROSBio-2018). Each electronic proposal requires the registration in NSPIRES of the principal investigator and 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 about this ROSBio-2018 and this Appendix may be addressed to the contacts referenced in the full solicitation document.
This Appendix is a broad agency announcement as specified in FAR 6.102 (d)(2). All awards resulting from selections of proposals to this Appendix will be grants or cooperative agreements.
Programmatic information for this NRA is available from:
Dr. David L. Tomko, Program Scientist for Space Biology
Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division,
NASA Headquarters
Phone: 202-358-2211
Email: dtomko@nasa.gov
NASA award information for this NRA is available from:
Theresa Stanley
Lead Grant Officer
NASA Shared Services Center
Phone: (228) 813-6196
Email: theresa.m.stanley@nasa.gov
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Miscellaneous
- Unrestricted
Additional information
See solicitation text for details.
Grantor contact information
Description
Benjamin J Goodman
Senior Scientist
Phone 202-479-9030
Please submit questions in writing.
Documents
No documents are currently available.
Link to additional information
Archived: February 6, 2019
Award
$--
Program Funding
15
Expected awards
$--
Award Minimum
$1,200,000
Award Maximum
Funding opportunity number:
NNH18ZTT001N-FG
Cost sharing or matching requirement:
No
Funding instrument type:
Cooperative agreement
Grant
Opportunity Category:
Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:
--
Category of Funding Activity:
Science technology and other research and development
Category Explanation:
--
History
Version:
3
Posted date:
December 7, 2018
Archive date:
February 6, 2019
