ROSES 2025: A.17 Hydrosphere

NASA Hydrosphere is a new program element added to ROSES through an amendment dated September 2, 2026. The Hydrosphere is one of six Earth science research spheres in the NASA Earth System Science Research Program, together with Atmosphere, Biosphere, Cryosphere, Geosphere, and Enabling Capabilities. NASA intends to provide annual ROSES funding opportunities for each research sphere, although specific themes may change from year to year. The Hydrosphere program seeks to improve observation, understanding, and prediction of the distribution and movement of water in the Earth system by integrating measurements from satellites, surface networks, airborne campaigns, modeling, and related capabilities. This opportunity focuses on Ocean Physics, Precipitation Science, and Terrestrial Hydrology and also provides a cross-cutting research subelement. Applicants must identify one of four subelements. Ocean Physics focuses on the role of ocean salinity in Earth system processes and science associated with the FRESH integrated water field campaign. Precipitation Science focuses on the scientific utility of commercial satellite data within NASA precipitation research, with commercial satellite observations required to serve as the anchor of the proposed science. Terrestrial Hydrology focuses on advancing distributed, multi-sensor satellite approaches for monitoring seasonal snow depth and or snow water equivalent, with a preference for multi-frequency approaches. Proposals using only optical sensors will not be considered under the Terrestrial Hydrology subelement. Cross-cutting Research must address one of the first three subelements while adding an interdisciplinary focus across two or more Hydrosphere disciplines and or an inter-sphere scientific focus. All proposals must demonstrate that NASA data, including eligible Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program data where applicable, are essential to the project's primary scientific objectives. Expected annual budgets for new awards are approximately 2 million dollars for Ocean Physics, 1.5 million dollars for Precipitation Science, 2 million dollars for Terrestrial Hydrology, and 1 million dollars for Cross-cutting Research. NASA anticipates approximately 10 to 12 Ocean Physics awards, 6 to 8 Precipitation Science awards, 7 to 10 Terrestrial Hydrology awards, and 4 to 6 Cross-cutting Research awards, subject to receipt of adequate proposals of merit. Maximum durations are four years for Ocean Physics, three years for Precipitation Science, four years for Terrestrial Hydrology, and three to four years for Cross-cutting Research depending on the underlying subelement. Terrestrial Hydrology projects must have a total budget not exceeding 800000 dollars regardless of duration, and field campaign and ground measurement costs are not allowed for that subelement. No general cost share or matching requirement is stated. Federal agencies other than NASA and FFRDCs funded through other government agencies will not receive awards under this program element, although their personnel may participate without NASA funding. Non-U.S. organizations may participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis. Submission uses a mandatory two-step procedure through NSPIRES. Step-1 proposals are due October 8, 2026, and Step-2 proposals are due January 28, 2027. An on-time, compliant Step-1 proposal is mandatory before a Step-2 proposal may be submitted; a Step-2 proposal without such a Step-1 submission will be returned without review. Step-1 replaces the Notice of Intent and must be submitted electronically by the Authorized Organizational Representative. It consists of NSPIRES cover page information and an uploaded PDF containing a two-page Science/Technical/Management section with four separately identified subsections addressing expected scientific impact in 150 words or fewer, specific scientific goals, the work plan, and why NASA data and models are indispensable. NASA will issue a standardized encourage or discourage notification after internal Step-1 review, but either outcome permits a compliant Step-1 proposer to submit Step-2. No individualized Step-1 feedback will be provided. Step-2 requires an anonymized technical proposal containing a Science/Technical/Management section limited to 10 pages, an anonymized Table of Work Effort, and references. A separate Expertise and Resources Not Anonymized document must contain identifying team information and resources, a non-anonymized personnel and work effort table, required NASA SciENcv biographical sketches and Current and Pending Support materials, an Open Science and Data Management Plan of up to two pages, applicable letters or statements, and facilities and equipment information. A separate complete Total Budget file is mandatory for U.S. organizations, and an optional High-End Computing request may also be submitted. The anonymized proposal must include a redacted budget that excludes salary, fringe, and overhead information. Proposals must also cite any Generative AI tools used to create proposal content, including the program name and version, date range of use, how the tool was used, and which proposal portions were AI-generated. Step-2 proposals are evaluated through dual-anonymous peer review. NASA will conduct an administrative compliance review and may return proposals without review or decline them for violations involving anonymization, formatting, page limits, or unauthorized sections. Prior to a panel meeting, each proposal is assigned to three reviewers for independent evaluation and scoring. NASA may triage proposals receiving lower preliminary scores, generally those below an adjectival rating of Good, although assigned reviewers will still prepare written summaries. The four subelements have separate budgets and funding will not move between them. NASA plans the start of investigations for approximately six months after the Step-2 deadline. Program contacts are Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer at nadya@nasa.gov for Ocean Physics, Will McCarty at will.mccarty@nasa.gov for Precipitation Science, and Craig Ferguson at craig.r.ferguson@nasa.gov for Terrestrial Hydrology. NSPIRES assistance is available at nspires-help@nasaprs.com or 202-479-9376.

Submit an on-time compliant Step-1 because Step-2 cannot proceed without it. Address all four required Step-1 questions explicitly as separate subsections within the two-page limit. Demonstrate that NASA data are indispensable to the primary scientific objectives. Select the subelement to which the proposal is most responsive. Follow dual-anonymous peer review requirements carefully at Step-2, observe the 10-page S/T/M limit, and avoid extra sections or identifying information in anonymized materials. Cite any Generative AI used to create proposal content and do not include fabricated references.