NNJ25ZSA001N: 2025 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) NOFO
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 2024.
NASA Johnson Space Center offered grants to any type of organization. Applications closed on October 31, 2025.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed November 2, 2024. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement, Grant, Procurement Contract
Key dates
| Posted | November 1, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | October 31, 2025 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 30, 2025 |
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 (see solicitation for details). Proposers must be affiliated with an institution at https://nspires.nasaprs.com.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (75% over five years) went to nonprofits.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
NASA Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) Released Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), entitled, “Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO)” (NNJ25ZSA001N) , has been released. This NOFO will solicit applied research in support of NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP). This NOFO is available through the the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at: https://tinyurl.com/HERO25NOFO. 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 NOFO 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 $250K per year for focused, limited efforts (e.g., data analysis) to $1.2M 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 NOFO 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. [g1] Any changes or modifications to any of these guidelines will be specified in the descriptions of the relevant research opportunities in the appendices of this solicitation. Details of the topics will be given in the appendices of the NOFO. 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 November 1, 2024 to October 2025. The first proposal due date (for Step-1 proposals submitted in response to Appendix A) is December 2, 2024. The electronic submission is required by the due date for proposal submission. Proposal due dates are given in the appendices, which will be posted at https://nspires.nasaprs.com.
Who has won Space Operations grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Space Operations (43.007) awarded $108 million across 165 grant awards, an average of $655,072 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc. | Florida | 1 | $61.8 million |
| Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. | Alabama | 1 | $8.5 million |
| Blue Marble Space | Delaware | 1 | $4.6 million |
| Georgetown University | District of Columbia | 2 | $2.0 million |
| University of Florida | Florida | 9 | $1.9 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 NNJ25ZSA001N still open?
No. It closed on October 31, 2025.
Who can apply for 2025 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) NOFO?
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 2025 Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) NOFO?
Closed October 31, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has won Space Operations grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, Inc., Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc., Blue Marble Space. The program made 165 awards worth $108 million in that time.