Appendix A: NASA Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions | 80JSC018N0001 FLAGSHIP

Opportunity Information: Apply for 80JSC018N0001 FLAGSHIP

Appendix A, titled "NASA Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions," is a solicited research area under NASA's broader Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) number 80JSC018N0001. Managed through NASA's Johnson Space Center and aligned with the Human Research Program (HRP), this opportunity is focused on applied research and technology development that directly supports HRP goals for keeping astronauts healthy, capable, and mission-ready during long-duration exploration missions. The intent is to fund work that improves understanding of key human health and performance risks in space and advances practical countermeasures, tools, or evidence that NASA can use in planning and conducting future exploration missions.

The solicitation highlights several specific research focus areas. One major emphasis is the risk of combined or "synergistic" effects from radiation exposure, psychological or operational stress, and altered gravity (such as microgravity or partial gravity) on behavioral health and performance. This topic reflects NASA's interest in how multiple spaceflight stressors interact rather than treating each risk in isolation, with outcomes relevant to cognition, mood, team functioning, operational performance, and overall mission safety. The opportunity also includes a Virtual NASA Specialized Center of Research (VNSCOR) element, indicating an interest in coordinated, center-like research efforts that can integrate expertise across disciplines and institutions in a virtual collaboration model. Another component is space radiobiology tissue sharing, encouraging proposals that make use of archived tissue samples or samples from ongoing experiments, which can accelerate discoveries, improve reproducibility, and maximize the scientific return from existing biological materials. In addition, NASA specifically calls for research on how radiation dose-rate affects space radiation health risks, a topic important for refining risk models and understanding how different exposure patterns may change biological outcomes and long-term health consequences.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary federal funding opportunity with multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts. The CFDA listing is 43.003. The announcement anticipates approximately five awards, with an award ceiling of $1,800,000. Eligibility is broadly open to all categories of U.S. institutions, meaning universities, nonprofits, for-profits, and government-affiliated entities can apply, subject to any specific clarifications in the full solicitation. Principal Investigators are allowed to form collaborations with universities, federal laboratories, industry partners, and state or local government labs. In collaborative arrangements, the submitting organization is expected to take responsibility for project administration and execution according to the management approach described in the proposal. NASA also notes its general policy for working with non-U.S. organizations: such partnerships are typically allowed on a cooperative basis with no exchange of funds, meaning international collaborators can contribute expertise or resources, but NASA funding generally does not flow to non-U.S. entities.

The application process follows a two-step proposal structure. Step-1 proposals were due September 5, 2018, and only applicants invited forward would submit Step-2 proposals, which were due November 30, 2018. NASA also scheduled a virtual pre-proposers conference for August 15, 2018, intended to help potential applicants understand objectives, expectations, and submission logistics, with details posted through NSPIRES, NASA's proposal submission and review system. The full Appendix A text and associated documents were made available online as part of the HERO NRA, and applicants were directed to the solicitation package for official contacts, requirements, and evaluation details.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Johnson Space Center in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Appendix A: NASA Research and Technology Development to Support Crew Health and Performance in Space Exploration Missions" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.003.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 01, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 05, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,800,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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