Appendix C

SPECIAL ADDENDUM FOR
EOS INVESTIGATORS
PLANNING FOR NASA’S FY 2023
SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE AIRBORNE SCIENCE PROGRAM

Introduction

This addendum contains specific guidance for Earth Observing System (EOS) Investigators in responding to the ASP Annual Call Letter.

EOS investigators have responsibility for instrument support and maintenance, and each investigator should plan on paying the cost of aircraft operations. It must be recognized that there are many demands for aircraft support of other NASA satellite missions, the NASA Science Programs, and other users.  Hence, it is not likely that all of the proposed aircraft missions can be accomplished.  It is incumbent upon all investigators to plan carefully and combine missions with other investigators whenever possible.

Flight Request

The Annual Call Letter for the development of the FY 2023 Earth Science Division (ESD) Airborne Science Program plan is available electronically in this website. Flight Requests should be submitted through the SOFRS system (Science Operations Flight Request System).
EOS Team Members and Instrument Investigators should choose Dr. Steven Platnick as the funding source in the Flight Request.

Similarly, Interdisciplinary Investigators should enter the appropriate science discipline manager. For a comprehensive list of program managers, please visit the Earth Science Divisiton Website or the Program Officers list.

The EOS review of Flight Requests and setting of priorities will be accomplished by the EOS Senior Project Scientist and the Associate Director for Research for the Earth Science Division. To enable the most equitable allocation of available resources, you are asked to send a copy of your Flight Request to the Team Leader or Principal Investigator of your science team who will be called upon to help prioritize multiple requests from a single investigation team.

In FY 2023, as in previous years, aircraft flight hour costs have been instituted by the SMD Airborne Science Program (see Appendix D). Flight hour fees will be withheld automatically from each EOS investigator’s budget and transferred directly to the appropriate flight account at Armstrong, Wallops, Johnson, Langley, Glenn or appropriate contract for cooperative aircraft. However, the EOS Project Science Office will consider supporting up to 50% of EOS flight hour costs from a Special Aircraft Support Fund, subject to scientific priorities, programmatic balance, and availability of funds in FY 2022 with the remaining 50% or more coming from the individual investigator budgets. Depending upon the number and scope of the Flight Requests, the Special Aircraft Support Fund will also be used to pay Mission Peculiar Costs (MPC) in their entirety. The total amount available for both flight fees and MPC will be up to $300K in FY 2023.

In addition to flight hour costs, certain instrument operation and data production costs (“data fees”) have been instituted by the Science Mission Directorate. Data fees, if any, are the responsibility of each individual investigator and will not be subsidized by the Special Aircraft Support Fund in FY 2023. In some cases, investigators may be able to avoid overhead charges by their home institutions by having the government transfer data fees directly from their accounts to the appropriate data account at a NASA Center. An investigator should contact the appropriate Resource Analyst or Contracting Officer to make such arrangements.  Data from many instruments, e.g., photography on most aircraft, are available at no cost or only nominal cost for approved flights.

Scheduling and final flight year approvals are the responsibility of:

Bruce Tagg
Director, Airborne Science Program
Earth Science Division
Science Mission Directorate
NASA Headquarters
300 E St. SW; Mail Suite: 3Q57
Washington, DC  20546
Phone: 202-358-2890