Funding provided in this program element is intended to enable individual researchers to participate as a member of a geologic mapping team in the planning and execution of campaign-style mapping of selected regions of the Moon. The intent of this program element is to create both high quality and internally consistent geologic maps, to determine methods for quickly and efficiently completing team-based geologic mapping, and conveying those results to the broadest range of users possible. Geologic mapping “campaigns” are defined herein as team-based efforts to identify the unique geologic characteristics of a pre-defined region (or regions), where efforts are specifically coordinated to ensure continuity and consistency in mapping results across map boundaries and map scales. Selected participants will work together as a single team to support the construction of targeted, innovative, and content-diverse geologic maps that will aid in lunar exploration as context for scientific investigations, guidance for region and site down selection, and/or surface operations. Furthermore, the selected participants will be expected to develop and commit to an agreement on acceptable behavior for this team and to jointly devise a Rules of the Road document that will describe, among other things, how the team will use, publish, and make the work that is accomplished through this program easily discoverable and broadly available. Additionally, this program seeks to expand the personnel and supportive scientific disciplines that compose the geologic mapping community and diversify the geologic map portfolio with specific regard to the regions, content, and scales for which geologic maps will be used to support a sustained exploration initiative of the lunar surface.
Deadline: June 12, 2024
This call is open to researchers at U.S. and international institutions, including advanced graduate students. Individuals from Foreign institutions may propose on a no-exchangeof-funds basis. International PIs shall include a letter from their home institution demonstrating financial support for their participation. Graduate students shall submit proposals as a “Science PI” with their adviser as the PI. Proposals that include teams of more than one person, with the exception of a Science PI/PI submission, are not eligible. Proposers from non-U.S. organizations that are not in NSPIRES may submit using the NASA Foreign PI Support Organization. See the NASA Foreign PI Instructions posted under other documents on the NSPIRES page for this program element.