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OpenCombined Synopsis/SolicitationAmended

2026 Astrophysics Small Explorer (APSMEX)

Solicitation numberNNH26ZDA011O

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION · NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION · NASA HEADQUARTERS

NAICS 54171 · Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life SciencesPSC AR11 · Space R&D Services; Space Flight, Research And Supporting Activities; Basic Research
View opportunity on SAM.gov ↗
Response deadlineSep 10, 2026, 3:59 AM UTC
Deadline status6 days remaining
PostedAug 6, 2026
Record refreshedSep 2, 2026

Opportunity summary

Source-cited

This is an amendment to the Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 Small Explorer (APSMEX) AO, with the proposal due date remaining unchanged. Interested parties must review the full AO on NSPIRES for complete details. [3]

Key points

  • Accepts educational, industrial, and non-profit organizations. [1]
  • Evaluation process has changed to a single-step competitive process. [1]

Watch items

  • Proposal response deadline is September 10, 2026. [3]
  • Submitter bears all costs for preparing the submission. [2]

Sources

  1. 9JuneEmail.pdfSpecific categories of organizations and institutions include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not- for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, and other Government agencies.
  2. 6AugustEmail.pdfAny costs incurred in preparing a submission in response to this notice or the full APSMEX26 AO are solely the responsibility of the submitter.
  3. Official SAM.gov noticePosted Aug 6, 2026; Responses due Sep 10, 2026, 3:59 AM UTC; Archive date Sep 24, 2026

Generated from the public notice and source-backed solicitation passages. Confirm important requirements in the cited brief and official documents.

Public-source intelligence

Source-backed opportunity brief

6 citations · 3 sources

Specific categories of organizations and institutions include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not- for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, and other Government agencies.

[1] 9JuneEmail.pdf

Scope

All proposals must comply with the requirements, constraints, and guidelines contained within the AO.

[1] 9JuneEmail.pdf

Deliverables

The 2026 Astrophysics SMEX (APSMEX26) Schedule: AO Release Date: June 9, 2026 Preproposal Conference Date: June 30, 2026 Mandatory Notice of Intent Due Date: July 21, 2026 Proposal Due Date: September 9, 2026 The NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) is the official source for the full text of the Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 SMEX AO.

[1] 9JuneEmail.pdf

Evaluation

Of particular importance is the change in evaluation and selection to a single-step competitive process.

[1] 9JuneEmail.pdf

Submission

Any costs incurred in preparing a submission in response to this notice or the full APSMEX26 AO are solely the responsibility of the submitter.

[1] 6AugustEmail.pdf

Extracted from the official notice and archived solicitation files. Confirm controlling requirements in the source documents.

Notice information

Read full notice text

Amendment #1: This SAM.gov update 1) announces the release of revised final text for the "Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 Small Explorer (SMEX)" AO and 2) adds a copy of the text of an August 2026 NSPIRES e-mail sent to SMD List Serv subscribers. Please open and carefully review the attachment named "6AugustEmail.pdf" under the Attachments/Links section of this notice. The proposal due date remains unchanged. For complete details, visit the link named "Final Ful Text NNH26ZDA011O" under the Attachments/Links section of this notice. End of Amendment #1. On or after this SAM.gov notice, the final text for the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) 2026 Astrophysics Small Explorer (APSMEX) will be available for download from the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. Click on the word "Solicitations" at the top of the NSPIRES landing page and then on the next page enter the number "NNH26ZDA011O" in the search box or use the direct URL provided below. This "Description" is not a complete or verbatim summary of the AO. It is the responsibility interested parties to visit and monitor regularly the two listed internet sites (links) for any amendments or other updates. Please also open and carefully read the attached PDF file named "9JuneEmail.pdf". The 9JuneEmail attachment is copy of the text that NSPIRES sent to Science Mission Directorate (SMD) List Serv subscribers and includes other and earlier, important dates such as for the submission of a MANDATORY Notice of Intent (NOI) and a virtual Preproposal conference that are prior to the listed Date Offers Due. After reading the full AO on NSPIRES, please address any comments and questions only via email to both the primary and alternative points of contact listed and use " APSMEX26" in the subject line.

What changed

Aug 6, 2026 · 2 fields changed
DescriptionOn or after this SAM.gov notice, the final text for the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) 2026 Astrophysics Small Explorer (APSMEX) will be available for download from the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. Click on the word "Solicitations" at the top of the NSPIRES landing page and then on the next page enter the number "NNH26ZDA011O" in the search box or use the direct URL provided below. This "Description" is not a complete or verbatim summary of the AO. It is the responsibility interested parties to visit and monitor regularly the two listed internet sites (links) for any amendments or other updates. Please also open and carefully read the attached PDF file named "9JuneEmail.pdf". The 9JuneEmail attachment is copy of the text that NSPIRES sent to Science Mission Directorate (SMD) List Serv subscribers and includes other and earlier, important dates such as for the submission of a MANDATORY Notice of Intent (NOI) and a virtual Preproposal conference that are prior to the listed Date Offers Due. After reading the full AO on NSPIRES, please address any comments and questions only via email to both the primary and alternative points of contact listed and use " APSMEX26" in the subject line.Amendment #1: This SAM.gov update 1) announces the release of revised final text for the "Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 Small Explorer (SMEX)" AO and 2) adds a copy of the text of an August 2026 NSPIRES e-mail sent to SMD List Serv subscribers. Please open and carefully review the attachment named "6AugustEmail.pdf" under the Attachments/Links section of this notice. The proposal due date remains unchanged. For complete details, visit the link named "Final Ful Text NNH26ZDA011O" under the Attachments/Links section of this notice. End of Amendment #1. On or after this SAM.gov notice, the final text for the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) 2026 Astrophysics Small Explorer (APSMEX) will be available for download from the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. Click on the word "Solicitations" at the top of the NSPIRES landing page and then on the next page enter the number "NNH26ZDA011O" in the search box or use the direct URL provided below. This "Description" is not a complete or verbatim summary of the AO. It is the responsibility interested parties to visit and monitor regularly the two listed internet sites (links) for any amendments or other updates. Please also open and carefully read the attached PDF file named "9JuneEmail.pdf". The 9JuneEmail attachment is copy of the text that NSPIRES sent to Science Mission Directorate (SMD) List Serv subscribers and includes other and earlier, important dates such as for the submission of a MANDATORY Notice of Intent (NOI) and a virtual Preproposal conference that are prior to the listed Date Offers Due. After reading the full AO on NSPIRES, please address any comments and questions only via email to both the primary and alternative points of contact listed and use " APSMEX26" in the subject line.
Documents12

Notice history

Attachments

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