Research Opportunities in Physical Sciences Appendix A: Soliciting Proposals for Fluid Physics Experiments on the International Space Station in Flow Boiling to Support Cryogenic Propellant Tank Transfer Research | NNH20ZDA012N A FLUIDS

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NASA is soliciting research proposals under its broader Research Opportunities in Physical Sciences (ROPS) NASA Research Announcement (NRA), solicitation number NNH20ZDA012N, with a specific focus in Appendix A (NNH20ZDA012N-A-FLUIDS) on fluid physics experiments to be carried out on the International Space Station (ISS). ROPS is a multi-year umbrella announcement managed by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), specifically funded through the Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division, and it supports physical science research across multiple disciplines and environments. While ROPS covers six major research areas (biophysics, combustion science, complex fluids, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science), Appendix A is narrowly aimed at advancing microgravity two-phase flow boiling and condensation knowledge in ways that directly support future in-space cryogenic propellant tank transfer.

The technical centerpiece of this opportunity is NASA's existing ISS facility called the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE), located in the Fluids Integrated Rack. FBCE is designed to generate high-quality experimental data on two-phase flow and heat transfer in microgravity, where boiling and condensation behave very differently than they do on Earth due to the reduced role of buoyancy and the increased importance of surface tension, inertia, and thermocapillary effects. NASA indicates that once currently planned FBCE test runs are completed, it intends to swap out the original flow boiling module and replace it with a new boiling module whose geometry is more representative of conditions relevant to propellant tank transfer operations. The central goal for proposers is to help NASA determine the best, most informative way to use this new module to produce data and insights that reduce risk and uncertainty for cryogenic propellant handling and transfer in space.

A key constraint is that proposed experiment concepts must fit within the FBCE hardware capabilities as they are currently designed. In other words, the solicitation is not asking teams to redesign FBCE from scratch; it is asking researchers to develop compelling, feasible experiment plans that can be executed within the existing platform and that align with the appendix's stated research emphases and requirements. The results NASA is seeking are the kinds of measurements, model validations, and physics understanding that can improve predictive tools and operational approaches for managing boiling, condensation, and two-phase flow during cryogenic transfer, where efficient thermal control and stable fluid behavior are mission-critical.

From a program structure standpoint, Appendix A uses a mandatory two-step proposal process. Step 1 submissions are due October 1, 2020, and serve as an initial screening for relevance and fit to the appendix's goals and constraints. NASA reviews these Step 1 proposals specifically for alignment with the research emphases and requirements, and only those teams whose ideas are deemed relevant will be invited to submit a full Step 2 proposal. Step 2 proposals are then due December 1, 2020, and must be submitted through NASA's NSPIRES system (submission through Grants.gov is allowed for Step 1, but Step 2 must go through NSPIRES). This staged approach is meant to reduce proposal burden and ensure full proposals are only developed for concepts NASA considers responsive to the solicitation.

Eligibility is broad: the opportunity is open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including universities, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, other U.S. government agencies, and other qualified entities, subject to NASA policies for working with non-U.S. organizations. Collaboration is explicitly encouraged, including partnerships across academia, federal labs, private sector teams, and international participants, as long as NASA's applicable requirements are satisfied. All applicant organizations must be registered in NSPIRES, and submissions must be made by an authorized organizational representative; in addition, principal investigators and co-investigators must be individually registered in NSPIRES regardless of which system is used for Step 1 submission. NASA also notes that because registration and account setup can take time, teams should start those steps well before the deadlines.

On the award side, NASA indicates it may use multiple funding instruments depending on the proposer and the work scope, including grants and cooperative agreements (and in some cases contracts or inter/intra-agency transfers). The typical period of performance under ROPS is about four years, with some flexibility in certain elements. For this Appendix A notice, the published expected award information includes an anticipated total of about three awards, with an award ceiling listed at $1,237,500. The assistance listing tied to this program is CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 43.001. NASA also reiterates that SMD financial assistance is administered consistent with applicable civil rights and nondiscrimination requirements (including 14 CFR 1250 and Title VI provisions), which become terms and conditions of receiving funding.

Administrative details emphasize that NSPIRES is the official source for the full solicitation text, amendments, and the Questions and Answers (Q&A) postings, and NASA recommends subscribing to NSPIRES email lists to stay current as updates are released over the five-year life of the main ROPS NRA. NASA also cautions that disruptions such as lapses in government funding or public health emergencies could affect schedules or implementation, reinforcing NSPIRES as the definitive place to verify the latest status. Overall, Appendix A is a targeted call for microgravity fluid physics experiments using FBCE, aimed at producing actionable two-phase flow boiling and condensation data that improves the scientific and engineering foundation for cryogenic propellant tank transfer in future space missions.

• 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 "Research Opportunities in Physical Sciences Appendix A: Soliciting Proposals for Fluid Physics Experiments on the International Space Station in Flow Boiling to Support Cryogenic Propellant Tank Transfer Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.001.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 01, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 01, 2020. (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 $1,237,500.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 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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