Amendment 30: D.13 APEX USPI

Amendment 30 releases the new program element D.13 Astrophysics Explorers U.S. Participating Investigator.

The purpose this ROSES program element for Astrophysics Explorers U.S. Participating Investigator (APEX USPI) is to solicit potential Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity (MO) investigations in which investigators participate as a Co-Investigator (Co‑I) for an instrument, experiment, or technology demonstration that is being built and flown by a sponsor agency other than NASA. This program element is released in conjunction with the Second Stand Alone Mission of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-2) Announcement of Opportunity (AO) Program Element Appendix (PEA) R: Astrophysics Explorers Mission of Opportunity.

A proposed investigation as a U.S. Participating Investigator on a non-NASA space mission may be as a Co-I for an instrument, experiment, or technology demonstration that is being built and flown by a sponsor agency other than NASA. The Co-I role can include, but is not limited to, instrument design, modeling and simulation of the instrument’s operation and measurement performance, calibration of the instrument, scientific analysis and/or research of the data returned, and/or development of innovative data analysis techniques. A U.S. Participating Investigator may also serve as a member of a non-NASA space mission science or engineering team and participate in science team activities, such as mission planning, mission operations, data processing, data analysis, and data archiving. Regardless of the nature of the U.S. Participating Investigator role, an investigation proposed under this category must be for a science investigation and must include some meaningful data analysis component, archiving of the complete data set, and the publication of science results in the peer reviewed literature. All aspects of the investigation through publication must be within the proposed cost.

Mandatory notices of intent are required by October 13, 2016, and proposals are due December 15, 2016.

Questions concerning this program element may be directed to Wilton Sanders at wilton.t.sanders@nasa.gov.