The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released a solicitation, entitled Space Technology Research Opportunities - Early Stage Innovations (STRO-ESI), on May 31, 2012. The solicitation is available by opening the NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ selecting "Solicitations," then selecting "Open Solicitations," and, finally, selecting "Space Technology Research Opportunities - Early Stage Innovations (STRO-ESI)." NASAs Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) solicits proposals from accredited U.S. universities for innovative, early-stage space technology research of high priority to NASAs Mission Directorates and OCT. Eligibility requirements are detailed in the solicitation. ESI-STRO is focused on low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) space technologies. The goal of this low-TRL technology endeavor is to accelerate the development of push technologies (technology development not directed at a specific mission) to support the future space science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies, and the commercial space sector. These Early Stage Innovation technology efforts complement the NASA Mission Directorates focused technology activities which typically begin at TRL 3 or higher. The TRL of the efforts to be funded as a result of this call will be TRL 1 or TRL 2 at the beginning of the selected effort and TRL 2 or TRL 3 at the end of the effort. This solicitation seeks technologies that have the potential to lead to dramatic improvements at the system level - performance, weight, cost, reliability, operational simplicity or other figures of merit associated with space flight hardware or missions. Although progress under an award may be incremental, the projected impact at the system level must be substantial and clearly defined. This solicitation seeks unique, disruptive, or transformational space technologies. It is not seeking literature searches, survey activities or incremental improvements of an existing technology. This solicitation exclusively seeks proposals that are responsive to one of the topics described. The topics are grouped into three areas: Space Radiation, Thermal Management and Optical Systems. NASA anticipates addressing other areas/topics in future Space Technology Research Opportunities solicitations. All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES or through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) by an authorized organizational representative. Notices of Intent (not mandatory) are due by June 21, 2012. Proposals are due on or before July 12, 2012. Detailed submission instructions are provided in the solicitation. Potential proposers and their proposing organizations are urged to familiarize themselves with the submission system(s), ensure they are registered in NSPIRES, and submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the deadline. Technical and programmatic comments and questions may be addressed by e-mail to the Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive, Claudia Meyer, at
[email protected]. Procurement questions may be addressed by e-mail to the procurement point of contact on this solicitation, Jonathon Wingerberg, at
[email protected]. Responses to inquiries will be answered by e-mail and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.