NASA Announcement: Release of an Announcement of Opportunity for Astrophysics Small Explorer Mission (SMEX)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing an Astrophysics Explorer 2019 Small Explorer (SMEX) Announcement of Opportunity (AO) (NNH19ZDA011O). The Astrophysics Explorers Program conducts Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations relevant to SMD's astrophysics programs. Astrophysics Explorers investigations must address NASA's strategic objective to discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for life on planets around other stars.
This solicitation will be open from April 1, 2019, through August 1, 2019. Since this is an FBO notice, it is not a complete or verbatim summary of the SMEX AO and any appendices nor any, if necessary, future amendments or clarifications. The full SMEX text will be available at https://nspires.nasaprs.com by searching on NNH19ZDA011O-SMEX upon the release date.
A preproposal conference will be held in May. The forthcoming date, agenda, and logistical information for this session are found on the APEXMO Acquisition Homepage: https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/2019APSMEX/SMEX/prepropconf.html.
NASA will release concurrently a solicitation for an Astrophysics Explorer 2019 Mission of Opportunity (MO) through the NASA Second Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Announcement of Opportunity (NNH17ZDA004O-APEXMO). As it becomes available, further information about the 2019 SMEXAO and APEXMO can be accessed via a shared Acquisition Page for the Astrophysics Explorer Program at: https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/2019APSMEX/.
Prospective investigators from any category of organizations or institutions, U.S. or non-U.S., are welcome to respond to this solicitation. Specific categories of organizations and institutions that are welcome to respond include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other Government agencies. Non-U.S. organizations may participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis.
NASA expects to select two to three Astrophysics Explorers Small Explorer missions for Phase A studies and down select one to proceed into Phase B and subsequent mission phases. NASA expects to select two or more Astrophysics Explorers Missions of Opportunity for Phase A studies and down select one or more to proceed into Phase B and subsequent mission phases.
This 2019 AO incorporates a number of changes relative to the previous Explorers Program AO and to the Draft 2019 Small Explorer AO. All proposers must read this AO carefully, and all proposals must comply with the requirements, constraints, and guidelines contained within the AO.
A mandatory Notice of Intent (NOI) to propose is due May 15, 2019, 11:59 pm Eastern.
Comments and questions may be addressed by email only to: Dr. Linda S. Sparke, Astrophysics Explorers Program Scientist, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001, E-mail: linda.s.sparke@nasa.gov (subject line to read "Explorer SMEX AO"). The period for questions/comments will close three weeks before the proposal due date, and the period for responses will close ten days before the proposal due date.
Responses to all inquiries will be posted as Questions and Answers QAs. SMEX QAs are linked from the 2019 Astrophysics Explorers Program Acquisition website at https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/2019APSMEX/SMEX/index.html. Anonymity of persons and institutions who submit questions will be preserved. Proposers are encouraged to send comments and questions early, so that they may be addressed at the Preproposal Conference.
In the event of Government funding lapses that impact NASA operations, proposers should visit NSPIRES, the official NASA source for the full SMEX Announcement of Opportunity.
Dr. Linda S. Sparke, Astrophysics Explorers Program Scientist , Email linda.s.sparke@nasa.gov
