The NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts is seeking revolutionary ideas to advance the Vision for Space Exploration. Interested parties from outside the agency are invited to submit 2006 Phase 1 proposals by February 13, 2006.

The focus for solicitations is on revolutionary, advanced concepts for architectures and systems that meet NASA mission “grand visions.” The institute’s intention is to discover ideas that may result in beneficial changes to NASA’s long-range plans.

The institute sponsors research in two phases. Proposals selected for Phase 1 awards typically receive as much as $75,000 for a six-month study that validates the viability of the concept and identifies challenges that must be overcome. Phase 1 studies are evaluated using major feasibility criteria associated with cost, performance, development time, and technology. The most promising are selected for further research, through a Phase 2 award. Phase 2 studies can be up to two years long and receive as much as $400,000.

Source: NASA news release