Research Insights

NASA released a solicitation titled “Early Career Faculty (ECF)”, on March 13, 2019. This solicitation, available on NSPIRES at https://tinyurl.com/NASA-19ECF, is an Appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2019 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2019).”

The Appendix seeks proposals from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of outstanding early career faculty members who are beginning independent research careers. The grants will sponsor research in specific high-priority areas of interest to America’s space program. ECF is intended to accelerate the development of groundbreaking, high-risk/high-payoff space technologies to support future space science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies, and the commercial space sector. Grants will be funded up to $200,000 each per year, with a maximum duration of three years.

This Appendix exclusively seeks proposals that are responsive to one of the four topics described:

• Advancing Human-Robot Teams for Space Exploration
  • The objective of this topic is to develop technologies that enable high-performing human-robot teams for space exploration.
• Terrain Mapping and Processing Algorithms
  • The objective of this topic is to develop algorithms for processing terrain data in real time to improve the probability of successful landings on NASA’s exploration missions.

• Intelligent Calibration of Constellations of Sensors
  • The objective of this topic is to develop the capability to rapidly calibrate various sensors distributed across a spacecraft constellation, both individually and relative to each other.

• Advanced Thermal Control Materials for Exploration Spacecraft
  • The objective of this topic is to identify, develop, and demonstrate novel technologies which address challenges in, and advance performance of, thermal control systems for both manned and unmanned spacecraft.

Only accredited U.S. universities are eligible to submit proposals on behalf of their outstanding new faculty members who intend to develop academic careers related to space technology. The proposed research must be led by a single, eligible Principal Investigator (PI). The PI must be an untenured Assistant Professor on the tenure track at the sponsoring U.S. university at the time of award. The PI must be a U.S. citizen or have lawful status of permanent residency. The PI must be the primary researcher on the effort; Co-Investigators are not permitted. Collaborators (other than NASA civil servants/JPL) are permitted. See the solicitation (Section 3.0) for complete requirements regarding eligibility and for definitions and restrictions regarding collaborators.

Notices of Intent are requested by April 3, 2018, and the deadline for proposal submissions is May 1, 2018.

Should you or your associates desire to contact the ECF Team with any questions, please direct your correspondence/inquiries to the following email address: hq-ecf-call@mail.nasa.gov