NNJ21ZSA001N: 2021 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of NASA Johnson Space Center notices from 2021.
NASA Johnson Space Center offered grants to any type of organization. Applications closed on July 29, 2022.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed July 30, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement, Grant, Procurement Contract
Key dates
| Posted | July 30, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 29, 2022 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 28, 2022 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to any type of organization.
- Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"
All categories of U.S. institutions are eligible to submit proposals in response to this NRA (see solicitation for details). NASA's policy regarding non-U.S. organizations is to conduct research on a cooperative, no exchange of funds basis.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (51% over five years) went to state and local governments.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
NASA Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) Released A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Research Announcement (NRA), entitled, “Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO)” (NNJ21ZSA001N), has been released. This NRA will solicit applied research in support of NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP). This NRA is available through the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at: https://tinyurl.com/HERO21OVERVIEW. The research will fall into one or more categories corresponding to HRP’s five Elements: Space Radiation, Human Health Countermeasures, Exploration Medical Capability, Human Factors and Behavioral Performance, and Research Operations and Integration. This NRA covers all aspects of research to provide human health and performance countermeasures, knowledge, technologies, and tools to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration. Awards generally range from under $100K per year for focused, limited efforts (e.g., data analysis) to $1M per year for extensive activities (e.g., development of scientific hardware) and will be made as grants. The funds available for awards in each research opportunity offered in this NRA range from less than one million to several million dollars. This range allows selection from a few to as many as a dozen proposals depending on the program objectives and the submission of proposals of merit. The period of performance for an award can range from one to five years. All categories of United States (U.S.) institutions are eligible to submit proposals in response to this NRA. Any changes or modifications to any of these guidelines will be specified in the descriptions of the relevant research opportunities in the solicited research response area appendices of this solicitation. Details of the topics will be given in the solicited research response area appendices of the NRA. Unless otherwise specified, appendices will use a two-step solicitation process requiring that a compliant and relevant Step-1 proposal be submitted in order to be considered to be invited to submit a Step-2 proposal. Proposal due dates will be staggered throughout the HERO open period of July 30, 2021 to July 2022. The first proposal due date (for Step-1 proposals submitted in response to Appendices A and B) is September 1, 2021. The electronic submission of each is required by the due date for proposal submission.
Who has won Exploration grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Exploration (43.003) awarded $354 million across 208 grant awards, an average of $1.7 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland | 4 | $162 million |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Texas | 3 | $78.9 million |
| The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees | Florida | 2 | $5.9 million |
| The Regents of the University of Colorado | Colorado | 6 | $5.7 million |
| Georgetown University | District of Columbia | 3 | $4.9 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is NNJ21ZSA001N still open?
No. It closed on July 29, 2022.
Who can apply for 2021 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO)?
NASA Johnson Space Center accepted applications from any type of organization. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for 2021 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO)?
Closed July 29, 2022. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has won Exploration grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of Maryland, College Park, Baylor College of Medicine, The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees. The program made 208 awards worth $354 million in that time.