Amendment 53: C.25 InSight PSP Changes to Text and Due Dates

Amendment 53 Changes the text and due dates of the InSight Participating Scientist Program.

Program element C.25 solicits investigations for the InSight Participating Scientist Program (PSP). The objectives of the program are to: a) enhance the scientific return from the InSight mission by broadening participation in the mission, and b) augment the existing InSight science team to include new members conducting investigations that broaden and/or complement the funded InSight Principal Investigator (PI)-led investigations. The goal of the InSight PSP is to maximize the contribution of InSight to the future exploration and scientific understanding of Mars and the other terrestrial-type planets. Because the intention is to enhance and broaden the scientific return and augment the existing science team, investigations submitted by the InSight Principal Investigator, Deputy Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators will not be considered.

Selected Participating Scientists (PSs) will become full members of the InSight science team and will work in a collaborative manner with other InSight science team members after selection. PSs will have the same rights and be required to fulfill many of the same responsibilities as those of current science team Co-Investigators.

This program requires a Notices of Intent (NOI). Proposals that are not preceded by an NOI may be returned without review. No feedback will be provided in response to the NOI. This program will not take Step-1 proposals. Additionally, this program element does not collect a data management plan via the NSPIRES cover pages, as some aspects of data archiving must be included in the body of the proposal and will be evaluated as part of merit (see Section 3.3, Evaluation Criteria). Proposers from non-U.S. institutions should refer to Section 2.4 of this program element.

This amendment removes the restriction on the use of data generated by spacecraft, other than InSight, that were not publically available 30 days prior to the InSight PSP submission date. It is now the obligation of the proposer to clearly demonstrate that the risk of failure to acquire such data is sufficiently low and is offset by the benefit(s) of the proposed task(s). Removal of this restriction allows for a more diverse set of studies to be proposed including - but not limited to - proposals involving concurrent, or simultaneous measurements to be made by InSight and other mission(s). This amendment additionally clarifies the requirements on members of non-InSight Flight Teams who propose to this call (see Section 2.3). Lastly, this amendment adds a section on award termination circumstances (see Section 3.5). New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through.

The due dates have been delayed. Mandatory NOIs are now due January 18, 2018 and proposals are now due February 22, 2018.

Questions concerning this amendment may be directed to Robert Fogel at rfogel@nasa.gov.