Research Programs with Rolling Submissions: No (Fixed) Due Date (NoDD) and Flexible Due Dates
There are several program elements in Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) that allow rolling submissions and do not have a fixed due date. Proposals to these programs may be submitted at any time during the open period of ROSES, generally without any preliminary statement like a Notice of Intent or Step-1 proposal. Any such program will state that proposals may be submitted at any time in the program element text and in Tables 2 and 3 of ROSES. For No Due Date programs, the NSPIRES page for these program elements displays a "Proposals Due" date, but that is simply the end date for the current ROSES solicitation, after which proposals may be submitted to the program element with the same name planned for the next ROSES cycle. For Flexible Due Date Programs, on the other hand, the "Proposals Due" date on the NSPIRES page really is the last date that proposals can be submitted to this program element, as there is no certainty that they will be solicited in the following ROSES year. Proposals must adhere to the requirements for the ROSES year under which they are proposed, which may vary between years. Most but not all of these program elements with rolling submissions are in the Planetary Science Division (Appendix C).
The Planetary Science Division held a virtual townhall meeting to discuss NoDD (and other topics) on January 21, 2021.
ROSES-2023 was the third year of the initial 3-year rollout of NoDD in Appendix C (Planetary Science). All programs that were NoDD in ROSES-2023 continued to work in the NoDD paradigm for ROSES-2024. A review of the NoDD initial 3-year rollout was presented via a virtual townhall on December 4, 2024. Starting in ROSES-25, Appendix C utilizes Flexible Due Dates for some programs. In these programs, the due date is the last day of the ROSES year, but there are pre-established deadlines to delineate the batches of proposals that will be reviewed concurrently.
ROSES has had other programs with no fixed due date, most notably the long-running Rapid Response and Novel Research in Earth Science. For all NoDD and Flexible Due Date program elements, proposals may be submitted at any time without a preliminary submission such as a Notice of Intent or Step-1 proposal. A comparison of No Due Date versus Flexible Due Date is provided below.
| No Due Date | Flexible Due Date |
|---|---|
| No Due Date real or perceived. | Specific submission cut-off dates to facilitate timely reviews and selections. |
| Reviews held irregularly when a critical mass of proposals has been received. | Reviews held on a regular cadence throughout the year. |
| Spike in number of submissions at the end of the ROSES year (not originally anticipated). | Anticipating three spikes in proposal submissions. |
| Allows flexibility for proposers to work on a proposal and submit it when they are ready. | |
| Assumes the same programs will run year after year with no gaps. | Enables flexibility in programs anticipated to be solicited from year to year. |
It is intended that the rolling submissions will provide flexibility in proposal submission and will make it easier for individuals to balance their work and personal lives, as well as remove the pressure on Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs) who had to submit many proposals on the single due date. In ROSES-25, the list of rolling submission programs in PSD appears below. All proposals that review well have an opportunity to be funded, regardless of submission date.
List of Planetary Science Flexible Due Date Programs in ROSES 2025:
- C.2 Solar System Science (SCubed)
The planetary science division has long had restrictions on submission of "duplicate" proposals. Those rules have been updated to account for programs with rolling submissions. PSD also has restrictions on "resubmissions" of proposals that apply to NoDD and Flexible Due Date programs. Those proposing to No Due Date (NoDD) or Flexible Due Date programs are very strongly encouraged to read the updated rules in Sections 2.4 and 3.2 of C.1 the Planetary Science Division Research Overview for ROSES-2025. See also the rolling submissions FAQ, below and on the NSPIRES page of any rolling submissions program.
Link to Rolling Submissions FAQ
Questions about specific rolling submissions programs should be directed to the point of contact for the program. More general questions about rolling submissions may be directed to Kathleen Vander Kaaden (Kathleen.e.vanderkaaden@nasa.gov) and please cc SARA@nasa.gov.
This page was last updated in June 2025.
