NSPIRES stands for the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, a web-based portal that handles the whole lifecycle of NASA research opportunities from announcement through peer review to award decisions.
How do I submit a NASA proposal?
First register in NSPIRES as either an individual or part of an already-registered organization; your organization also needs an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration before you can hit “submit.”
After you’ve created your account, log in, find the current opportunity, download the required templates, prepare your proposal following NASA’s formatting rules (font size, page limits, data-management plan, etc.), and upload it through NSPIRES before the deadline. Late submissions get rejected automatically, so give yourself at least a 24-hour buffer for any last-minute technical hiccups.
How to register in NSPIRES?
You’ll need a working email, your personal details, and your organization’s Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov. Once you submit everything, you’ll get a confirmation email with a verification link. Institutional sign-ups take a little longer—sometimes up to five business days—so don’t wait until the last minute. Treat your login credentials like gold; you’ll reuse them for every NASA proposal you ever file.
How can I get funding from NASA?
NASA hands out most of its money through competitive calls like ROSES—Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences, which show up every year as NASA Research Announcements on NSPIRES.
Grants go to the strongest science that also lines up with NASA’s mission goals. Sometimes funding comes through partnerships with other federal agencies, private companies, or international teams. Keep an eye on the NASA SARA portal for open opportunities and deadlines. Make sure your proposal checks NASA’s three big boxes: intrinsic merit, relevance, and realistic costs.
How do I submit a research paper to NASA?
Any paper that comes out of NASA-funded work must land in NASA’s PubSpace repository through the NASA Open Access Help Desk (757-864-6736 or public-access@nasa.onmicrosoft.com).
Send along the DOI, the final accepted manuscript, and whatever compliance paperwork NASA needs (usually your grant or award number). PubSpace lives inside the NASA Technical Reports Server, so the whole world can read your findings for free. Miss the deadline and you risk losing future NASA funding—so calendar it now.
How do I submit a proposal to Nspires?
Register first, then request an affiliation with the organization that’s sponsoring your work; next, under the “Proposals” tab, choose “Create Proposal” and walk through the step-by-step form.
You can add co-investigators by typing in their NSPIRES user IDs or email addresses. Upload the narrative, budget, data-management plan, and any letters of support the solicitation demands. When everything looks good, the authorized organizational representative (AOR) electronically signs and submits before the clock runs out. Double-check the compliance checklist one more time before you hit send.
What is NASA Finesst?
FINESST—Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology—is a graduate fellowship that can pay for up to three years of a PhD student’s research or two years of a master’s student’s work in Earth and space sciences.
Applications open every year as part of ROSES and get judged on scientific quality and fit with NASA’s priorities. If you win, you join NASA’s research family and might even get invited to agency workshops or conferences. Check the NSPIRES ROSES page each cycle for updated deadlines and program rules.
Can I send my ideas to NASA?
NASA won’t take unsolicited proposals or random ideas for funding or projects; every dollar is awarded through open, competitive solicitations.
If you just want to share a general thought or suggestion, use the NASA Contact page. For innovation challenges, NASA sometimes runs public prize contests on HeroX—keep an eye on NASA Solve for announcements. Stick to the official channels so your idea actually gets reviewed.
How do I make a NASA project?
Start by nailing down a solid research question that fits NASA’s mission priorities; then design an experiment you can run within the limits of available resources and ethical rules.
Find a mentor or advisor who’s already done NASA-style research—it makes life easier. If your project needs microgravity or extreme conditions, look into analog environments like the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory. Write everything down, and plan to publish or present your results so the wider scientific community can build on what you’ve learned.
Can I send mail to NASA?
NASA doesn’t accept paper mail for routine questions; all public correspondence has to be electronic via the NASA Contact form or the right program inbox.
Educators, students, and journalists should use dedicated addresses like education@nasa.gov or public-inquiries@nasa.gov. Technical support goes to the appropriate NASA center help desk. Mail that does arrive at headquarters gets scanned and logged, but responses are limited to official business—don’t expect a personal reply.
What is NASA salary?
NASA pays different roles different amounts; in 2026 the averages are roughly $75,432 for Research Scientists, $87,439 for Software Engineers, $91,728 for Astronauts, and $99,828 for Astrophysicists.
Salaries follow the federal General Schedule (GS) pay scale. On top of that you get health insurance, a retirement plan, and access to NASA’s labs and facilities. NASA posts updated salary data every year on its careers website.
Who owns NASA?
NASA belongs to the U.S. federal government, created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 and based in Washington, D.C.
It’s an independent agency under the executive branch, funded each year by Congress. By 2026 NASA employs about 17,373 civil servants plus thousands of contractors and grantees. Its job is aeronautics research, space exploration, and scientific discovery.
Does NASA receive grants?
Yes—NASA’s main funding comes from federal grants and contracts approved by Congress and managed by the agency.
That money pays for research, development, and mission operations across NASA’s directorates: Science, Aeronautics, Space Technology, and Human Exploration. Winners include universities, research institutes, and private companies. NASA only gives individual grants through special programs like FINESST.
Is the NASA website a scholarly source?
Yes—NASA.gov hosts peer-reviewed research through PubSpace, a free public archive of NASA-funded papers.
PubSpace articles are indexed in PubMed Central and meet academic standards. NASA also publishes technical reports and conference papers that researchers can cite. Use NASA.gov for NASA-funded work, but pair it with peer-reviewed journals for a full picture.
What is a NASA fellowship?
A NASA fellowship can cover up to three years for PhD students or two years for master’s students in science, engineering, or technology fields aligned with NASA’s mission.
Fellows get a stipend, tuition help, and travel money, plus chances to work with NASA researchers and attend agency events. Applications open once a year under specific ROSES program elements on NSPIRES. If you’re selected, you’ll gain access to mentors, internships, and career-building opportunities.
