ROSES 2025: F.15 Artemis III Participating Scientist Program

The Artemis III Participating Scientist Program (A3PSP), administered by NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), invites proposals from individuals who wish to contribute scientific expertise to the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will mark the first crewed lunar surface mission since Apollo, with astronauts conducting extensive field geology at the Moon’s South Pole. This solicitation aims to expand the Artemis III Science Team (A3ST) by selecting a group of Participating Scientists (PS) to enhance mission planning, operations, and post-mission analysis. The call is not for individual science investigations but rather for participation in a collaborative mission-focused science team. Selected scientists will support the Artemis III Geology Team (A3GT), participating in planning for both orbital and surface science, operational execution during the mission, and post-mission science synthesis. Key areas of desired expertise include thermal modeling for landing sites, geochemistry, volatiles, heliophysics (including solar wind interactions and dust), geotechnical/regolith studies, campaign planning, geologic mapping, and field geology. However, there is no guarantee that participants will be selected based on expertise alone or that each area will be represented. Eligible applicants include individuals from both U.S. and non-U.S. institutions, though non-U.S. participants must apply on a no-exchange-of-funds basis and provide a letter of commitment guaranteeing financial support. Applicants from current Artemis III science teams, such as A3GT, AIST, and A3DI, are ineligible. Only single-PI proposals are allowed, and team-based applications will not be considered. NASA employs a dual-anonymous peer review process to minimize bias, requiring both anonymized and non-anonymized proposal components, each evaluated in a two-step review process. Detailed instructions for preparing these documents are included in the official guidelines. The application process includes a mandatory Step-1 submission, which involves a brief anonymized summary of interest in joining the Artemis III Science Team. If accepted, the applicant can proceed to Step-2, which includes detailed anonymized narratives on teamwork experience and non-anonymized responses detailing scientific qualifications. Evaluation criteria emphasize leadership/followership styles, adaptability, experience integrating into established teams, and scientific relevance to mission goals. The review process includes both a scientific merit assessment and a detailed analysis of individual qualifications. Selected participants should anticipate approximately 0.4 Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) of funded work in years 1 and 2, and 0.2 FTE in year 3, including mandatory travel to Houston and Washington, D.C., for training, operations, and debriefings. The total program budget for the first year is $1.4 million, and NASA anticipates awarding between 6 to 8 individual grants. The maximum project duration is three years, with investigations expected to begin approximately nine months after the Step-2 deadline. All awards are contingent upon performance and availability of funds. The program is part of NASA’s broader Moon to Mars initiative, and all applications must be submitted via the NSPIRES platform. Questions should be directed to the program contacts, Sarah Noble and Amanda Nahm, via email at hq-ArtemisGeology@mail.nasa.gov. The solicitation is listed under the funding opportunity number NNH25ZDA001N-A3PSP, and specific submission deadlines for Step-1 and Step-2 proposals are provided in the ROSES 2025 tables.

Proposals must follow strict dual-anonymous review rules; follow DAPR guidance for formatting and content.