21 November 2023
The Astrophysics Decadal Survey Precursor Science (ADSPS) program supports research in areas related to the recommendations from the National Academy of Science and Engineering report, "Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s."
Astro2020 envisioned three future large missions for NASA Astrophysics:
Research proposals to ADSPS should describe how scientific progress in the areas being investigated will either reduce the design and development risk for one or more of these future large missions or help to define the requirements such missions must meet to enable transformative discoveries. ADSPS does not support technology development proposals for these missions, which should be submitted to the separate Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) program. To guide the community submissions to the ROSES-2022 ADSPS opportunity, an open process was used to define precursor science gaps where community work would be beneficial. A precursor science gap is the difference between the knowledge we have today, and the knowledge needed to finalize the architectures of the three large missions endorsed by Astro2020.
The deadline for submitting input for the ROSES 2023 precursor science gaps is Monday, November 27, 2023.
Input is collected by NASA Astrophysics Division supporting program offices. The input will be distilled and provided to the ADSPS Program Officer and NASA HQ scientists for consideration, and an updated Precursor Science Gap list is expected to be posted by January 2024.
Discussion and submission of group input on precursor science gaps among the relevant Program Analysis Groups (ExoPAG, COPAG, PhysPAG) and their Science Analysis / Science Interest Groups is strongly encouraged.
Submission to this process does not guarantee inclusion in the updated gap list that will be available for proposers interested in the ROSES2023 ADSPS.
**Please refer to the attached letter for a more detailed summary and definitions of the precursor science solicitation**