ROSBio-2018 Appendix C: Development of Microgravity Food Production: Plant Watering, Volume Management, and Novel Plant Research on the International Space Station | NNH18ZTT001N PT

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ROSBio-2018 Appendix C is a NASA space biology grant opportunity focused on advancing practical, space-ready ways to grow edible plants in microgravity, with an emphasis on “pick-and-eat” crops that can be produced reliably over multiple generations. The appendix is part of NASA's broader Research Opportunities in Space Biology (ROSBio) framework and is run as a collaboration between two NASA organizations: the Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Division (SLPSRAD) and Advanced Exploration Systems (AES). The underlying purpose is not just basic plant science, but integrated research and development that can mature into new flight hardware and, ultimately, operational capability for the International Space Station (ISS) and future exploration missions.

The solicitation asks teams to tackle two tightly related technology areas that are known pain points for microgravity agriculture. First, NASA wants improved edible plant water and nutrient delivery systems that work in microgravity without creating hazardous free water, while still delivering uniform root-zone wetting and maintaining adequate aeration and oxygen around the roots. On Earth, gravity helps keep water distributed and separated from air in predictable ways; in microgravity, water can cling, pool, or migrate unexpectedly, which can suffocate roots, encourage microbial issues, or create safety and hardware risks. Second, NASA is seeking edible plant spacing systems that make better use of limited growing volume. Since crew time, rack space, and growth chamber volume are premium resources on the ISS, NASA is looking for concepts that help increase productivity per unit volume and enable practical scaling.

NASA lays out a phased path to maturity that is meant to move credible concepts toward an ISS demonstration. Phase A is the early stage, where key components and experiments are developed and validated, including modeling and/or performance testing to show the concept is likely to work. Phase B would move into prototype development and deeper system investigations, and Phase C would culminate in an on-orbit demonstration on the ISS. This specific appendix is only requesting Phase A proposals, but it is structured so that only a subset of Phase A winners would be invited forward into the later phases, meaning Phase A is both a development effort and a down-select gate for the most promising approaches.

For Phase A, NASA is specifically interested in water/nutrient delivery systems and/or spacing systems that can fit into a NASA-furnished plant chamber and that could be scaled up, potentially to a full rack size for the ISS or future spacecraft. Proposals are expected to go beyond a loose concept: key design elements should be backed by analysis, modeling, bench testing, or other performance evidence. NASA also signals interest in preliminary scientific investigations and validation experiments that demonstrate the system can operate successfully and support future plant research studies, implying that the chosen approach should enable consistent, controllable growth conditions rather than being a one-off demo.

Awards for Phase A are planned as cooperative agreements, with a maximum (award ceiling) of $225,000 per award over an 18-month period, and NASA anticipated making about five awards. Cooperative agreements typically indicate NASA expects some level of involvement or collaboration during execution (as opposed to a standard grant where the agency is more hands-off), which aligns with the goal of steering developments toward eventual integration with NASA plant growth hardware and ISS operational constraints.

The application process uses a two-step structure. The opportunity was released June 7, 2019, and NASA scheduled a virtual pre-proposal conference for June 25, 2019 to explain objectives and logistics. Step 1 proposals (pre-proposals) were due July 5, 2019 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, and Step 2 full proposals (by invitation) were due September 26, 2019 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Step 1 submissions could be made through either NSPIRES (NASA’s proposal system) or Grants.gov, while Step 2 submission instructions are handled through the solicitation details. NASA emphasized that organizations should register early in NSPIRES and ensure both the organization and the proposing team members (PI and co-investigators) are registered, since electronic submission requires an authorized organizational representative.

Eligibility is broadly open: all categories of U.S. institutions can apply, including universities, federal laboratories, private sector organizations, and state/local government laboratories. NASA also allows participation by collaborators from other countries, with a stated exception that excludes China. The solicitation is issued as a broad agency announcement consistent with FAR 6.102(d)(2), and any resulting selections are expected to be funded via grants or cooperative agreements. The funding opportunity is listed under CFDA 43.003 and categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

Key points of contact are provided for both the technical/program side and the award administration side. Programmatic and scientific questions are directed to Molly Anderson at NASA Johnson Space Center (Environmental Control and Life Support System leadership role) and Dr. David L. Tomko at NASA Headquarters (Space Biology program scientist). Award and grants management questions are directed to Theresa Stanley at NASA Shared Services Center. The overall message of the appendix is straightforward: NASA wants practical, test-supported Phase A concepts that make microgravity plant watering and volume-efficient plant spacing more reliable, safer, and scalable, with a clear line of sight to prototype development and an eventual ISS demonstration.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "ROSBio-2018 Appendix C: Development of Microgravity Food Production: Plant Watering, Volume Management, and Novel Plant Research on the International Space Station" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.003.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 07, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 05, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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