Earth Venture Instrument-6 (EVI-6) Announcements
May 22, 2023 - NASA has selected a new mission to help humanity better understand Earth's dynamic atmosphere - specifically, ice clouds that form at high altitudes throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions. The PolSIR instrument - short for Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer - will study such ice clouds to determine how and why they change throughout the day. This will provide crucial information about how to accurately simulate these high-altitude clouds in global climate models.
The investigation consists of two identical CubeSats - each small satellite is just a little over a foot tall - flying in orbits separated by three to nine hours. Over time, these two instruments will observe the clouds' daily cycle of ice content.
"Studying ice clouds is crucial for improving climate forecasts - and this will be the first time we can study ice clouds in this level of detail," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Every NASA mission is carefully chosen to better understand our home planet."
The award is for for lifecycle costs no more than $37 million, which does not include launch costs. The radiometer is an Earth Venture instrument - lower-cost instruments with a targeted research goal, which typically catch a ride along with another mission or commercial satellite in order to minimize launch costs. The Earth Venture class also focuses on providing frequent flight opportunities, so innovative science investigations can be flown relatively quickly, generally within five years or less. Missions like this provide key targeted research opportunities, which help us improve our understanding of what's driving change in the entire Earth system.
"Understanding how these ice clouds respond to a changing climate - and then, in turn, contribute to further changes - remains one of the great challenges to predicting what the atmosphere will do in the future," said Karen St. Germain, who leads NASA's Earth Sciences Division. "The radiometers, which measure the radiant energy emitted by clouds, will significantly improve our understanding of how ice clouds change and respond throughout the day."
The mission is led by Ralf Bennartz, principal investigator at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and by Dong Wu, deputy principal investigator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
NASA Goddard will provide the project management team that builds the two instruments, while science operations will be conducted by the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The two spacecraft will be built by Blue Canyon Technologies in Lafayette, Colorado.
Program Element Appendix (PEA) Letter R of the Third Stand Alone Missions
of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Released
This summary email announces that NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing a Program Element Appendix (PEA) Letter R to the Third Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Announcement of Opportunity (AO). The PEA is entitled "Earth Venture Instrument-6 (EVI-6)" and the solicitation number is NNH17ZDA004O-EVI6.
Proposers must adhere to the requirements and constraints of the PEA and the SALMON-3 AO. The full PEA text can be found on the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/EVI6, or by searching Solicitations using "Earth Venture Instrument-6" or "NNH17ZDA004O-EVI6" at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. NSPIRES is the official source for this PEA and for other information in the event of a lapse in NASA operations.
Release Date: April 19, 2022
Mandatory Notices of Intent to Propose Due: June 2, 2022
Proposals Due: September 1, 2022
This PEA solicits investigations requiring development and operations of Class D space based Instrument(s) or Class D SmallSat(s) (which includes CubeSats). The Cost Cap on the PI-Managed Mission Cost (PIMMC) for an EVI-6 investigation is $37M in Fiscal Year 2024 dollars with a possibility of an additional request of up to $5.3M for an optional Science Enhancement Option (SEO). NASA expects to select one or more investigations based on funding availability at the time of selection. NASA is committed to principles of open science for EVI-6, including the full, free, and open sharing of data, algorithms, software, and documentation from project initiation.
Within four years of project initiation, each selected EVI-6 investigation is required to deliver either (1) one or more instruments to be integrated onto a NASA determined platform or (2) one or more SmallSats (including CubeSats) that can be integrated onto a NASA-determined launch vehicle. NASA is responsible for identifying feasible platforms and/or launch vehicles. CubeSats may have a maximum form factor of 12U.
A description of the major differences between the EVI-5 and the current EVI-6 solicitations is available for download from the SAM.gov (System for Award Management) under notice ID NNH22ZDA005J PDF file name "NNH22ZDA005JSynopsis" at https://sam.gov/opp/a667f5526408440a9ba05dca58063769/view.
The major changes between the draft and final EVI-6 PEA include clarifications that: (1) All types of SmallSats (including CubeSats) can be proposed; (2) NASA expects to launch any selected SmallSat investigation through the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) Launch Services or on other NASA-selected launch services as a rideshare; (3) Proposers may assume that the International Space Station will be operational through 2030; (4) Investigators both participate in and support the Earth System Science Pathfinder Project Office (ESSP-PO) with life cycle and Key Decision Point (KDP) reviews; (5) The Open-Source Science (OSS) Policy applies only to science data products and not to spacecraft operations, to engineering data, nor to information designated as International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR); (6) The Student Collaboration is optional.
A Pre-Proposal Web Conference will be held via teleconference/WebEx. The forthcoming date, agenda, and logistical information for this session maybe found by visiting the EVI-6 Acquisition Homepage at Earth Venture Instrument-6 (EVI-6) Acquisition Home Page (nasa.gov).
The period for questions/comments will close two weeks before the proposal due date, and the period for responses will close ten days before the proposal due date. Questions and other comments on the EVI-6 PEA may be addressed to Dr. Hank Margolis, EVI-6 Program Scientist, at hank.a.margolis@nasa.gov with the subject line "EVI-6 PEA.” Questions and Answers will be posted on the EVI-6 Q&As section of the EVI-6 Acquisition Homepage. Anonymity of the authors of all questions will be preserved.
Program Element Appendix (PEA) Letter TBD of the Third Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Released
This summary email announces that NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing a Draft Program Element Appendix (PEA) Letter TBD to the Third Stand Alone Missions of Opportunity Notice (SALMON-3) Announcement of Opportunity (AO). The Draft PEA is entitled "Earth Venture Instrument-6 (EVI-6)." This is draft solicitation number NNH22ZDA005J.
Proposers must adhere to the requirements and constraints of the PEA and the SALMON-3 AO. The full Draft PEA text can be found on the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/3AWJ0QT, or by searching Solicitations using "Draft Earth Venture Instrument-6" or "NNH22ZDA005J" at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. NSPIRES is the official source for this PEA and for other information in the event of a lapse in NASA operations.
The draft PEA is the sixth solicitation in the EVI series. EVI-6 will solicit proposals for complete PI-led science investigations (Phases A through F) that are based on one or more (a) Class D space-based instruments or (b) Class D CubeSats. The selected EVI-6 investigations will conduct innovative research that addresses pressing Earth system science questions.
The Cost Cap on the PI-Managed Mission Cost (PIMMC) for an EVI-6 investigation estimate is $37M in Fiscal Year 2024 dollars with a possibility of an additional request of up to $5.3M for a Science Enhancement Option (SEO). NASA expects to select one or more Class D Instrument and/or Class D CubeSat Investigations based on funding availability at the time of selection. NASA is committed to principles of open science for EVI-6, including the full, free, and open sharing of data, algorithms, software, and documentation from project initiation.
The differences between this draft EVI-6 and the previous EVI-5 solicitation include the following:
- ) NASA Procedural Requirements NPR 7120.5F entitled "NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements" is applicable
- ) Simplifies some past proposal requirements to reduce workload on proposers
- ) Adds a requirement to follow the NASA Earth Science Division Open Source Science Policy
- ) Adds a Project Protection Plan
- ) Adds a Diversity and Inclusion Plan
- ) Adds an applications component to the evaluation criteria
- ) Provides for an optional NOAA Operational Enhancement Opportunity
- ) Allows, with some restrictions, the PI's to use text, tables, and figures when responding to NASA about the Potential Major Weaknesses (PMW) identified by the review panels. NOTE: These PMW responses become an integral part of the proposal evaluation process.
Within four years of project initiation, each selected EVI-6 investigation is required to deliver either (1) one or more instruments to be integrated onto a NASA-determined platform or (2) one or more CubeSats, having a maximum of 12U each, that can be integrated onto a NASA-determined launch vehicle. NASA is responsible for identifying feasible platforms and/or launch vehicles.
Proposers and other interested parties are asked to read the Draft EVI-6 PEA and provide feedback for NASA's consideration. The comment period for the Draft EVI-6 PEA ends on December 1, 2021.
NASA has not approved the issuance of the Final EVI-6 PEA, and this notification does not obligate NASA to issue the PEA and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this Draft EVI-6 PEA are incurred completely at the submitter's own risk. The Final PEA may differ significantly from this Draft PEA.
The time frame for the solicitation is estimated to be:
Release of Draft EVI-6 PEA .............................. October 26, 2021
Prospective Bidders Web Conference .............. November 12, 2021 (1:00 p.m.to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time)
Comment Period Closes.................................... December 1, 2021 (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
Release of Final EVI-6 PEA .............................. January-February 2022 (target)
Preproposal Web Conference ........................... ~2 to 3 weeks after Final PEA release
Mandatory Notice of Intent deadline ................. ~5 weeks after Final PEA release (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
Proposal deadline ............................................. ~3 to 4 months after Final PEA release (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time)
Download and carefully read the full Draft EVI-6 solicitation before emailing comments or questions. Further information will be posted on the EVI-6 Acquisition Homepage at https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVI-6/ as it becomes available. Individuals should consult existing EVI-6 questions and answers at https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVI-6/evi-6_qas.html in case a clarification has already been provided.
Questions and other comments on the Draft EVI-6 PEA may be addressed to Dr. Hank Margolis, EVI-6 Program Scientist, at hank.a.margolis@nasa.gov with the subject line "EVI-6 Draft PEA." Questions and Answers will be posted on the EVI-6 Q&As section of the EVI-6 Acquisition Homepage. Anonymity of the authors of all questions will be preserved.
- NASA Official: Waldo J. Rodriguez, PhD
- Curator: SOMA Web Support
- Document Initialized: July 23, 2021
- Last Modified: May 23, 2023