ROSES 2025: C.5 Exobiology

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has released the annual omnibus Research Announcement, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2025. This specific funding opportunity, titled "ROSES 2025: C.5 Exobiology," seeks to support research in exobiology, the study of the origins, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. The announcement is part of a broader set of research opportunities included in ROSES-2025, which funds a wide range of basic and applied research initiatives related to space and Earth sciences.

This program does not have a fixed deadline for proposal submissions, allowing applicants to submit at any time before the final closing date of March 31, 2026. However, applicants must ensure compliance with eligibility timing requirements related to resubmissions and duplicate proposal avoidance. The program aims to maintain continuous proposal submission across different ROSES years, with the ROSES-26 cycle expected to overlap with the ROSES-25 cycle for a few weeks.

Proposals are open to institutions affiliated with NASA's NSPIRES system. While NASA generally funds only U.S.-based institutions, organizations outside the United States may apply under a policy of no-exchange-of-funds agreements. Additionally, some Non-Research Announcements (NRAs) may be issued jointly with non-U.S. organizations, particularly in cases of international collaboration in space science research. Specific details regarding eligibility for non-U.S. applicants can be found in the NASA Proposer’s Guide.

Awards under this program will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, depending on the nature of the research. However, most awards will be issued as grants, and some program elements explicitly exclude contracts due to the nature of the solicited work. The typical performance period for awards is three years, though certain projects may be granted up to five years. The funding scope, award ceiling, and total program funding amounts are not specified in the current announcement.

Applicants must download the required forms and instructions associated with the application package from the program's official website. Proposers can find the full text of the program element by navigating to the tables of ROSES-2025 program elements on the NASA solicitation page. Proposers should also reference the Summary of Solicitation for additional application guidance and submission requirements.

For general questions regarding ROSES-2025, applicants can contact the Office of the SMD Deputy Associate Administrator for Research at sara@nasa.gov. For specific inquiries related to this funding opportunity, applicants should reach out to Alison Olcott at HQ-EXO@mail.nasa.gov. Additional information, including updates, FAQs, and submission guidelines, is available through NASA’s official grant portals and mailing lists.