Habitable Worlds Observatory Instrument Concept Assessments in NASA Research Announcement (NRA): RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN SPACE AND EARTH SCIENCES (ROSES) 2025

The NASA ROSES‑2025 “Habitable Worlds Observatory Instrument Concept Assessments” (HWO‑ICA) program solicits concept‑assessment studies for future space‑based instruments that could fly on the Habitable Worlds Observatory. Selected contractors will evaluate scientific opportunity, performance, engineering feasibility, technology readiness, risk, and overall mission impact. Proposals may be led by U.S. institutions (Category 1) or by U.S. individuals supporting non‑U.S. lead institutions (Category 2). The work is expected to span roughly two years and will be funded via firm‑fixed‑price or interagency agreements. No hardware development is required; the effort focuses on analysis, trade studies, and documentation. • Eligible participants: U.S. universities, research labs, or companies (Category 1) and U.S. individuals collaborating on non‑U.S. led projects (Category 2). • Scope: Instrument‑concept feasibility, technology gap analysis, risk assessment, and alignment with the HWO Technology Maturation Project Office. • Funding mechanism: Firm‑fixed‑price or interagency agreement; award ceiling not disclosed, but typical concept‑assessment grants range in the low‑to‑mid‑millions USD.