ROSES25: C.4 Planetary Science Enabling Facilities

The Planetary Science Enabling Facilities program is a federal funding opportunity administered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration within its Science Mission Directorate, specifically under the Planetary Science Division. This program is part of the broader ROSES solicitation and is designed to support the development, maintenance, and enhancement of experimental and analytical facilities that serve the planetary science research community. The program was introduced to address strategic recommendations from national advisory bodies emphasizing the importance of sustained investment in scientific infrastructure that enables advanced research capabilities. The primary purpose of this program is to fund facilities that provide specialized equipment, instrumentation, infrastructure, and technical expertise necessary for conducting complex planetary science research. These facilities must demonstrate clear scientific value and a strong user base within the community supported by NASA’s Planetary Science Division. Eligible facilities must enable or enhance research aligned with specific NASA programs, including solar system science, astrobiology, and exoplanet research. The program emphasizes reproducibility, transparency, interdisciplinary collaboration, and rigorous scientific standards, aligning with federal priorities for high-quality and credible research practices. Funding under this opportunity supports a wide range of allowable activities, including acquisition of instruments and equipment, development of analytical methods and standards, maintenance of facilities, and support for technical personnel. However, the program excludes funding for direct scientific research, computing infrastructure, data archiving, laboratory construction, and mission development activities. While there is no explicit cap on the annual budget for individual proposals, applicants are advised to consider the overall program funding availability. Awards are expected to support facilities for a period of up to four years, providing stable operational funding for high-value scientific infrastructure. Eligibility for this program is broad and inclusive, encouraging participation from a wide range of research institutions. This includes universities, community colleges, emerging research institutions, and organizations that have not traditionally received funding from NASA’s Planetary Science Division. Institutions may participate as primary applicants, subawardees, or partners. The program also encourages proposals that contribute to workforce development and the inclusion of the next generation of scientists and engineers. The application process requires a single, complete proposal submission through NASA’s NSPIRES system, with no preliminary notice of intent or step-one application required. Proposals must adhere to strict formatting and anonymization requirements due to the use of a dual-anonymous peer review process. Applicants must submit both an anonymized technical proposal and a separate non-anonymized expertise and resources document. Required components include technical descriptions, user base analysis, management plans, data management strategies, and detailed budgets. Proposals are evaluated based on three primary criteria: scientific and technical merit, relevance to NASA’s planetary science priorities, and cost reasonableness. Reviewers assess the uniqueness and utility of the proposed facility, the anticipated impact on the research community, and the feasibility of the proposed work. The program is highly competitive, with an expected selection of approximately two to eight awards from an annual funding pool of around five million dollars. The application deadline for this opportunity is November 10, 2026, with funding expected to begin approximately nine months after the submission deadline. The program is part of an annual solicitation cycle, and future opportunities are anticipated. Applicants are encouraged to consult additional program documentation, including the Planetary Science Research Program Overview and related guidance materials, to ensure compliance with all requirements and to maximize the competitiveness of their proposals.

Ensure strong alignment with NASA planetary science priorities and clearly demonstrate facility demand and uniqueness; emphasize scientific merit and cost justification