30 May 2023
The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has released a third Community Announcement via www.SAM.gov notice ID NNH22ZDA008L concerning its intention to solicit investigations for the Astrophysics Probe Program.
As announced at the March 2023 NASA Astrophysics Advisory Committee meeting, the planned Astrophysics Probe Announcement of Opportunity (AO) proposal submission date and the length of the competitive Phase A are changing in order to provide more time for proposal preparation and to provide for a longer Phase A duration. Presentations with this information are available on the APAC webpage, with link names “NASA Astrophysics Update – M. Clampin” and “Astrophysics Explorers Update – L. Sparke.” In addition, the schedule now includes an indication of the general timing for submission of the Mandatory Notice of Intent to Propose. All other information contained in the second Community Announcement, available from the “Community Announcements” section of the Astrophysics Probe Acquisition website, remains unchanged. Please also see the Q&As posted at the same website for additional information.
The schedule for the forthcoming AO is intended to be:
The Final Astrophysics Probe AO may contain provisions that differ substantially from this special notice, in which case the provisions in the AO will take precedence. To find the full draft AO text, visit the Draft AO page on NSPIRES. However, proposers must read carefully the Final Astrophysics Probe AO when it is released on NSPIRES.
The Science Office for Mission Assessment (SOMA) will post further information, as it becomes available, on the Astrophysics Probe Acquisition website. Questions and feedback will be acknowledged, and responses to inquiries will be posted at the Questions and Answers (Q&A) location on the same website. Anonymity of persons or institutions submitting questions will be preserved.
Please address questions and feedback on the policies in this special notice by email with “Astrophysics Probe” in the subject header, to Dr. Patricia Knezek, Astrophysics Probe Program Lead Scientist, Astrophysics Division, patricia.m.knezek@nasa.gov.