ROSES 2025: C.10 Lunar Mapping Program

The Lunar Mapping Program (LMAP), issued under the Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2025 (ROSES-2025), is a targeted funding opportunity managed by NASA's Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office within the Science Mission Directorate. The program is specifically designed to support individual researchers in conducting team-based geologic mapping of selected regions of the Moon. Unlike many NASA solicitations, LMAP does not require an Open Science and Data Management Plan, and proposals are evaluated through a non-anonymous peer review process. This program seeks to strengthen NASA’s planetary geologic mapping efforts, particularly in preparation for future lunar exploration and human surface missions. The overarching objective of the program is to produce high-quality, internally consistent geologic maps that can guide exploration activities, site selection, and scientific investigations on the Moon. Award recipients will join a coordinated team, working collaboratively to define and document the unique geologic features of specific lunar regions. These efforts will be campaign-style, ensuring continuity across map boundaries and scales, and results must be openly accessible through long-term repositories like the USGS ScienceBase. The program also aims to enhance inclusivity by encouraging participation from a broad range of scientific disciplines and researchers, both domestic and international. The LMAP call is open to U.S. and international researchers, including advanced graduate students. Notably, international applicants must apply on a no-exchange-of-funds basis and provide institutional endorsement letters confirming financial support. Graduate students must apply as “Science PI” with an advisor listed as the formal PI. The program enforces strict eligibility rules, only permitting individual applicants unless the submission is a Science PI/advisor pairing. The award covers up to 250 hours of labor over a one-year period, including one week of travel to the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, for finalizing mapping products. Proposals must adhere to strict formatting rules and include details of the proposer’s past geologic mapping experience, GIS usage, interdisciplinary expertise, and collaborative teamwork capabilities. Additional required materials include a biographical sketch, a current and pending support form, a detailed budget, and, if applicable, an international support letter. Proposals are evaluated primarily on the applicant’s expertise (50%), teamwork efficacy (30%), and dissemination strategy (20%). The evaluation and compliance review will be handled jointly by NASA staff and USGS personnel affiliated with the Planetary Geologic Mapping Program. Up to 8–10 proposals are expected to be selected, with a total anticipated budget of approximately $400,000 for the first year. Although there is no fixed ceiling for individual project costs, all proposals must remain within the labor hour cap. Selected applicants will contribute to developing a shared “Rules of the Road” document and participate in activities such as regional geologic unit identification, map production, and results synthesis for NASA’s broader exploration goals. The deadline for proposal submission is listed in ROSES Tables 2 and 3, and awards are expected to begin approximately six months thereafter. The opportunity is expected to recur in ROSES-2026, depending on funding availability and mission planning needs. For questions and submissions, interested applicants should refer to NSPIRES (https://nspires.nasaprs.com). Those needing to submit through Grants.gov must request access at least 30 days in advance. The point of contact for the program is Sarah Noble or Amanda Nahm, who can be reached via email at HQ-LMAP@mail.nasa.gov.

Follow all formatting guidelines strictly; proposal may be returned if non-compliant.