DRAFT Announcement of Opportunity for NASA Heliophysics Explorers Program 2019 Medium-Class Explorer (MIDEX) Missions for Community Comment
On or after May 6, 2019, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) released a draft solicitation for community review and comment entitled: DRAFT Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for 2019 Heliophysics Medium-Class Explorer (MIDEX) missions. This FBO notice announces that the full text of the DRAFT is available at: https://nspires.nasaprs.com by searching on NNH19ZDA012J.
The release of the DRAFT MIDEX AO was delayed due to the 35-day partial U.S. Government shutdown. In the event of future lapses to NASA operations, proposers should visit NSPIRES, the official NASA source for the MIDEX AO. Since this is an FBO notice, it is not a complete or verbatim summary of the DRAFT 2019 MIDEX AO; therefore, it is necessary to visit NSPIRES and download this AO.
The Heliophysics Explorers Program conducts Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations under a not-to-exceed cost cap. Heliophysics Explorers Program investigations must address NASA's heliophysics science objectives as described in 2018 NASA Strategic Plan and the 2014 NASA Science Plan.
It is anticipated that no more than three 2019 Heliophysics MIDEX investigations will be selected for 9-month, $1.25M (FY19) Phase A concept studies through the forthcoming AO. At the conclusion of these concept studies, it is expected that at least one MIDEX investigation will be down-selected to continue into Phase B and subsequent mission phases. Due to the ongoing competition resulting from the 2018 Heliophysics Science Mission of Opportunity Program Element Appendix to the SALMON-3 AO, there will be no Missions of Opportunity solicited as part of this AO.
NASA recognizes and supports the benefits of having diverse and inclusive scientific, engineering, and technology communities and fully expects that such values will be reflected in the composition of all proposal teams as well as peer review panels (science, engineering, and technology), science definition teams, and mission and instrument teams.
NASA values the use of innovative, new technologies and encourages the demonstration of them in mission-relevant environments. 2019 Heliophysics MIDEX investigations may therefore propose PI-team-developed enabling and enhancing Technology Demonstration Opportunities (TDOs) to demonstrate new capabilities. PI-Team-Developed Enhancing TDOs, like Science Enhancement Opportunities (SEOs), are funded outside of the cost cap and may possibly not be selected even if the parent mission is selected for flight.
Launch Vehicle costs and procurement will be the responsibility of NASA. Launch vehicle standard services will be provided as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) and the cost will not be included in the PI managed cost cap. The cost of mission specific and special launch services is the responsibility of the PI and must be included within the proposed PI-managed mission cost.
The DRAFT 2019 Heliophysics MIDEX AO is based on the Standard PI-led Mission AO Template version 5.0 available at http://soma.larc.nasa.gov/standardao/sao_templates.html.
The issuance of a DRAFT 2019 Heliophysics MIDEX AO does not obligate NASA to issue and solicit proposals in a 2019 MIDEX AO. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this draft solicitation are incurred completely at the submitter's own risk.
Comments/Questions will be accepted by email only with the subject line to read "DRAFT 2019 MIDEX" addressed to: Dan.Moses@nasa.gov. Dr. Moses is the Heliophysics Explorers Program Lead Scientist.
The comment period for the Draft 2019 MIDEX AO ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on May 31, 2019. Responses to comments/questions will be posted on the website of the Science Office for Mission Assessments (SOMA) of NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) at https://soma.larc.nasa.gov/ on the 2019 Heliophysics MIDEX Acquisition Pages. Anonymity of persons/institutions who submit comments will be preserved.
Dr. Dan Moses, 2019 Heliophysics Explorers Program Lead Scientist, Science Mission Directorate, Email dan.moses@nasa.gov
