Draft Cooperative Agreement Notice

Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute Cycle 2

On or about January 15, 2016, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is releasing a Draft Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) for community review and comment, soliciting Cycle 2 proposals for the submission of multi-institutional team-based proposals for research as participating members of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). This draft CAN has been designated NNH16ZDA002J and will be available via the NSPIRES web page at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/, see below.

The goal of this CAN is to foster an innovative, broadly based research program addressing basic and applied research fundamental to understanding the nature of the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs), the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos, and the near space environments of these target bodies, to enable human exploration of these destinations. However, nondestination targets, such as the study of comets and/or main-belt asteroids, may provide critical information relating to the origin and evolution of the proposed target bodies. Therefore, comparative planetary investigations that include comets and/or main-belt asteroids are within the scope of this CAN. Proposed research that complements current Institute Teams, or addresses important research areas not currently covered in the Institute, will also be given strong consideration (see: http://sservi.nasa.gov/sserviteams/). Proposals in the areas of astrophysics and heliophysics that are enabled through human and robotic exploration of the Target Bodies are also solicited through this Cooperative Agreement Notice.

The issuance of this Draft CAN does not obligate NASA to issue the CAN and solicit proposals. Issuance of the Final CAN is dependent on programmatic factors, including NASA receiving an appropriation and operating plan containing adequate funding within the Science Mission Directorate and Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate budgets. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to the Final CAN are incurred completely at the submitter’s own risk. The final SSERVI CAN2 may contain provisions that differ from this Draft CAN, in which case those in the final CAN take precedence.

The text of this draft CAN will be available on or about January 15, 2016, via NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ by selecting Solicitations, choosing “Open” from the bulleted list on the left under “View Solicitations” and then searching on NNH16ZDA002J

All comments and questions must be submitted by February 12, 2016, via email to

Dr. Yvonne Pendleton, Director of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, at [email protected] and cc [email protected] and [email protected]. The character string “SSERVI CAN2” (without quotes) should be included in the subject line. The identity of those submitting comments will be held in confidence. Answers to questions about this Draft CAN will be made available on the NSPIRES website (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).

Notional Schedule:

All inquiries should be directed via email to Yvonne Pendleton at [email protected] and cc [email protected] and [email protected].