- Type
- Request for Information
- Dates
- Close
- Jul 31, 2026
- Release
- Apr 27, 2026
- ABSCICON AFFP NOIs Due
- Jul 31, 2026
- Title
- Astrobiology Science Conference Announcement for Partnership Proposals 2026
- Number
- NNH26ZDA009L
- Nois Due
- Jul 31, 2026
- Pdf Text
- NOTICE: Amendment #1 July 16, 2026: The amendment extends the deadline for
proposals. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. There are no other
textual changes than the date changes.
Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP)
For a Partnership Agreement Related to
the Astrobiology Science Conference
NNH26ZDA009L
Release Date: April 23, 2026
Due Date: July 17 31, 2026
Short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/ABSCAFPP
I. Statement of Purpose
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is seeking to collaborate with an eligible
entity, on a non-reimbursable (no-exchange-of-funds) basis, to oversee planning and
logistics, as well as develop program content, for a biennial (approximately every 2
years) astrobiology science conference. This partnership is expected to follow established
models, where NASA provides some support (<25% of total cost) in concert with a
partner that holds its own conference. In this arrangement, NASA pays for its own
contributions to the partnership, while the partner takes responsibility and covers all other
conference costs, as listed below.
This Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) outlines the process for submitting
a proposal to become a partner (“Partner”) with NASA for this coordinated effort, as well
as the expected Partner responsibilities. This AFPP is anticipated to result in the
establishment of a non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement with one (1) selected Partner.
The Space Act Agreement will define the full roles and responsibilities of NASA and the
Partner in a form similar to the model agreement shown in Appendix B attached hereto
(the “Model Space Act Agreement”). For more information on Space Act Agreements,
please see https://www.nasa.gov/partnerships/.
II. Background
Astrobiological investigations have been a goal of NASA since the Agency’s inception.
In 2017, NASA's legal framework for astrobiology was significantly reinforced by the
NASA Transition Authorization Act that explicitly made the search for life one of the
agency's core purposes. Furthermore, NASA’s enabling legislation and policies require
the widest possible dissemination of information concerning its activities and research
results, with few exceptions for national security or private information.
Astrobiology is a discipline with universal interest requiring global contributions. For
more than two decades, NASA’s Astrobiology Program within the Planetary Science
Division has supported the Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon). AbSciCon is
2
an international conference that brings together scientists, researchers, students, and other
professionals to disseminate the results of NASA-funded research and to update the
broader community on its past, present, and future missions that have astrobiological
relevance. AbSciCon has evolved from an event accommodating only NASA-funded
researchers into an outlet where over 1,000 members of the broader astrobiology
community, including researchers funded by NASA, National Science Foundation,
National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, and national research programs
from other space faring nations, can network, announce breakthroughs, and foster global
partnerships. Likewise, NASA’s role in AbSciCon has evolved from that of host or lead
organization, to that of a teaming organization. Partnering with organizations with
common interests and goals in the field of astrobiology has enabled NASA to better meet
the needs of this growing community.
Historically, about 1,000 abstracts are submitted to each AbSciCon. Scientific results are
disseminated through the publication of those abstracts, along with poster and oral
presentations, which are recorded and archived. In addition to an in-person meeting,
AbSciCon has provided a robust virtual meeting space for those who could not travel.
AbSciCon is a community-supported conference with a science organizing committee of
researchers representing the breadth of the field and led by an established community
member. Appendix A provides a list of historical hosts and sponsors for previous
AbSciCons and demonstrates wide interest from various educational and non-profit
organizations.
NASA is interested in partnering with an U.S. entity on a no-funds-exchanged basis to
continue supporting a community-led, community-organized biennial conference on
astrobiology of a similar size and scope as AbSciCon. Any future partner will work with
NASA to provide a forum for reporting new discoveries, to share data and insights, to
advance collaborative efforts and initiate new ones, to plan new projects, and to educate
the next generation of researchers in astrobiology.
III. Response Timeline
This AFPP will be open for at least 60 days following the date of release of this
announcement. All proposals must be received by July 17 31, 2026, to be considered. A
successful partner will agree to fulfil the responsibilities detailed herein in coordination
with NASA and a community-based science organizing committee starting with
AbSciCon 2028 and for each future AbSciCon agreed to in the resulting Space Act
Agreement. The anticipated outcome is for one selected Partner to be the primary host of
the AbSciCon, with NASA and any other partners identified by the host to sponsor the
conference, as laid out in a potential Space Act Agreement.
IV. Benefits to a Partner
Many organizations have an interest in advancing the field of astrobiology through new
discoveries, collaborative efforts, and educating the next generation of astrobiologists. As
3
the list of historical hosts and sponsors for previous AbSciCons demonstrates (see
Appendix A), it is also of interest to various educational and non-profit organizations.
AbSciCon provides hosts, sponsors, and attendees an opportunity to shape the future of
astrobiology scientific discovery. Coordinating efforts to plan and execute AbSciCon
benefits all partners involved by consolidating resources and expertise to maximize
attendance and scientific impact.
V. Partner Responsibilities
The proposed responsibilities below are examples of what NASA anticipates a potential
partner would undertake in holding an astrobiology science conference of a similar size
and scope as previous AbSciCons. Partners may propose different or additional
responsibilities not listed here in the Partner Responsibilities in the Model Space Act
Agreement. Additionally, proposers may involve other entities as their own partners
supporting its responsibilities under the Space Act Agreement, but the Partner is
responsible for all of its own activities under the Space Act Agreement. These entities
can be included in the proposal.
NOTE: Please see Appendix B: Model Space Act Agreement for more information on
expected NASA responsibilities.
Anticipated Partner responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Provide a conference venue sufficient to host up to 1000 participants.
• Develop a format and schedule for each AbSciCon that may include partial or
fully virtual options.
• Manage conference registration.
• Create, develop, host, and manage a conference website.
• Form a science organizing committee to evaluate submitted abstracts and set up a
scientific program, including oral and poster sessions.
• Manage exhibitor space at the conference.
• Market each conference, specifically, designing and circulating information about
the conference including creating and issuing an announcement for the Call for
Contributions.
• Create and conduct post-conference surveys of attendees and exhibitors; develop
and produce registration reports; and track and record demographics of
conference participation.
• Rotate the location of conferences to different geographic regions of the U.S.
• Develop and distribute a Code of Conduct for each conference and associated
activities consistent with NASA’s antiharassment policy
https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/nasa-eeo-policy-statement-
2025.pdf?emrc=68bb36dfe659f and “Complaints of Discrimination in NASA-
Conducted Programs” section at https://www.nasa.gov/external-civil-rights-
compliance/
• Decide and announce the location of future conference meetings.
4
• Participate in a regularly scheduled status teleconference between Partner(s) and
NASA.
• Coordinate major public announcements with NASA’s Office of Communications
and the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), and adhere to NASA’s Media Usage
Guidelines at https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/guidelines/index.html.
The Partner may collect conference fees. Sponsorships may also be sold by the Partner. A
sponsorship will be contingent on the sponsor's compliance with NASA’s, Partner’s, and
any other sponsors’ guidelines and policies and all applicable laws and regulations. Any
funds received from sponsors will be solely used for the Partner’s portion of the costs of
conference activities. The NASA name, initials, insignia or other identifiers in any form
shall not appear in any such solicitation for a sponsorship or in any promotion or
advertisement for a sponsor in connection with the conference.
VI. Instructions for Proposal Preparation
Submissions in response to this AFPP shall include 1) A narrative proposal and 2) a
revised model Space Act Agreement.
Narrative Proposal (File one)
Proposals will be evaluated based on the Proposer’s demonstrated ability with similar
conference or meeting responsibilities, as well as the Proposer’s connection to the
astrobiology community. AbSciCon has traditionally been an opportunity to recruit new
people into the astrobiology community. NASA is interested in reaching a variety of
populations with an interest in astrobiology to participate in AbSciCon and connected
activities. Any proposed activities should continue to foster and build a robust
astrobiology community. Proposers are strongly encouraged to develop their proposed
role commensurate with the resources available to their organization, as each Partner will
be financially responsible for their designated responsibilities. A key goal of this effort is
to provide support to a community-driven conference that advances the field of
astrobiology.
All proposal narrative responses must adhere to the following formatting requirements:
Length: No more than 10 pages
Page size: 8.5” x 11.0” paper size
Paragraph: Double-spaced, single-column text with no more than 5.5 lines per
vertical inch of text
Margins: One-inch margins on all four sides with no content in the margins
Font: Font size 12, not to exceed 15 characters per horizontal inch,
including spaces, a sans serif font recommended
Inserts: Figures, tables, and other inserts are permitted
Each Proposal shall address each of the following areas:
5
1) A detailed plan on the contributing roles and responsibilities of the Proposer and
how this plan will further advance astrobiology research and the dissemination of
findings including continuing established successful activities and developing
innovative, cutting-edge conference activities. The Proposal shall include a
reliable and documented budget and source of funding to undertake the proposed
plan. No funding will be exchanged between NASA and the Partner. Therefore,
the commitment of the Partner to successfully achieve its stated responsibilities
will be necessary for the successful planning and execution of AbSciCon.
2) Examples of demonstrated success in similar efforts to design, manage, and
support the proposed activities.
3) A description of any avenues or plans to engage with various populations that
may be interested in AbSciCon and associated activities. Information on previous
success in engaging these populations, or reference material supporting the
proposed plans, are encouraged.
4) A description of roles of participating personnel, and the management structure of
the team, to include the primary point of contact for coordination.
5) A schedule of key events and milestones in achieving the proposed activities. The
milestones will be included in the Schedule and Milestones section of the
resulting Space Act Agreement.
6) A description of proposed plans to facilitate conference attendance through the
reduction or removal of potential barriers to attendance. Possible examples
include but are not limited to: reduced abstract or registration fees for early career
participants; negotiating reduced lodging rates for attendees; providing
information or resources on childcare options; quick and accessible lunch options
that meet various dietary restrictions; and audio-visual support (e.g., sign
language interpreter or closed captioning).
Model Space Act Agreement (File Two)
Proposers must also submit a Model Space Act Agreement as a separate file (See The
Other Documents Section on NSPIRES Appendix B) with edits to the Purpose, Partner
Responsibilities, Schedule & Milestones, Points of Contact, and Signatory Authority
sections as a PDF file showing tracked changes. Sections requiring proposer input are
shown in italicized red font.
If there is a particular reason the Proposer is not able or willing to agree to any of the
terms and conditions in the other sections of the Model Space Act Agreement, the
proposer may submit a request for a Partner-required modification to the Model Space
Act Agreement with their Proposal. Each Partner-required modification will be assessed
by NASA against legal requirements, technical goals, fairness, efficiency, and available
6
resources, to determine if NASA is able and willing to accommodate the required
modifications.
NASA intends to treat all proposers equitably, so changes to the standard terms and
conditions of the Model Space Act Agreement are not encouraged, and proposers who
indicate a willingness to abide by the standard terms and conditions of the Model Space
Act Agreement may be favored over those seeking substantive changes.
In compliance with Section 841 of the NASA Transition Authorization Act (NTAA) of
2017, the agreement will be publicly posted without redaction. Thus, proposers shall not
include any information in the Space Act Agreement not intended for public release.
There is no page limit on the Model Space Act Agreement.
VII. Evaluation Criteria:
NASA evaluators will use the criteria below to assess a Proposer’s ability to successfully
host the AbSciCon, in collaboration with NASA:
1. Value and benefit to the conference on astrobiology science and the astrobiology
community including continuing established successful activities and developing
innovative, cutting-edge conference activities. Examples that would be of value or
benefit include increasing the reach of disseminated scientific results and
fostering collaborations to expand partnerships and research.
2. Demonstrated ability to design, manage, and support the proposed activities,
especially as such activities relate to needs of the astrobiology community.
3. Realistic and well-supported budget, with evidence of financial ability to support
the conference.
4. Breadth and depth of engagement with a variety of astrobiology stakeholders,
including creative strategies to engaging groups not previously involved in
AbSciCon.
The NASA evaluators will review each proposal across each of the four (4) evaluation
criteria. The rubric for how proposals will be evaluated is given below.
• Does Not Address: a proposal will receive this evaluation if it did not address
the specific criterion in a meaningful or credible manner
• Partially Addresses: a proposal will receive this evaluation if it did address
some aspects of the criterion satisfactorily, some aspects were not
satisfactorily addressed
• Meets Expectations: a proposal will receive this evaluation if it credibly
addressed the specific criterion with an acceptable level of detail
• Exceeds Expectations: a proposal will receive this evaluation if it fully
addressed the response criterion, and provided one or more creative,
innovative, or established effective approaches that would add additional
value to the conference
7
• Significantly Exceeds Expectations: a proposal will receive this evaluation if it
thoroughly and comprehensively addressed a criterion, and provided a
response that would significantly benefit the conference, such as through the
use of highly creative or innovative approaches or demonstration of adopting
best practices
The assessments of each of the four (4) evaluation criteria will provide an overall
evaluation for the Proposal.
Additional considerations:
All Proposals must comply with the following to be considered:
• All Proposal information shall be contained in one submission; external
references will not be considered/evaluated.
• Proposing organization and its Proposal should align with NASA mission,
objectives, and values.
• NASA seeks to partner with an entity that will host its own community-driven
conference that advances the field of astrobiology, where the Partner will have
significant involvement in developing the scientific program for the
conference. As such, NASA anticipates that proposing organizations will be
primarily educational, scientific, research, and/or non-profit.
• No NASA officials or employees may endorse or participate in advertising or
marketing. NASA may raise awareness of AbSciCon and distribute
informational materials about AbSciCon consistent with the NASA
responsibilities listed in the Model Space Act Agreement.
• All applicable Federal laws must be followed.
• Proposals shall not include bilateral participation, collaboration, or
coordination with China or any Chinese-owned company or entity, whether
funded or performed under a no-exchange-of-funds arrangement.
Proposers are encouraged to limit the amount of Proprietary Data (defined below)
included in their Proposals and only include such information that is necessary to meet
the proposal requirements listed in this AFPP. Proposers must clearly mark any
Proprietary Data in their Proposal. For purposes of this AFPP, “Proprietary Data” shall
mean information set out in the Proposal embodying trade secrets developed at private
expense or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential, and that
includes a clear restrictive notice, unless the information is (i) known or available from
other sources without restriction, (ii) known, possessed, or developed independently, and
without reference to such marked information in the Proposal, (iii) made available by the
owners to others without restriction, or (iv) required by law or court order to be disclosed.
With respect to such Proprietary Data, NASA shall:
a. Use, disclose, or reproduce such Proprietary Data only as necessary to evaluate
the Proposal;
b. Safeguard such Proprietary Data from unauthorized use and disclosure;
8
c. Allow access to such Proprietary Data only to its employees requiring access
for purposes of evaluating the Proposal;
d. Except as otherwise indicated in c., preclude disclosure outside NASA;
e. Notify its employees with access about their obligations under this
announcement and ensure their compliance; and
f. Dispose of such Proprietary Data after evaluation of the Proposal has
concluded.
Special Agreement Conditions
Any websites created in conjunction with this project must be fully accessible to the
disabled, according to the 1998 amendment of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1972, and any other applicable federal laws.
The primary NASA point of contact for AbSciCon, a technical conference, is within
SMD. Specifically, the point of contact will be personnel of the Astrobiology Program
within the Planetary Science Division. SMD will engage and coordinate with other
NASA offices, such as the Office of Communications, as needed to support NASA’s
involvement in AbSciCon and any related partnerships.
VIII. Evaluation and Award Process
The evaluation panel, comprised of NASA civil servants and contractors from
Headquarters (HQ), Ames Research Center (ARC), Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC), and/or Johnson Space Center (JSC), will review proposals to ensure they meet
the eligibility and submission requirements outlined in this AFPP (e.g., page limits,
organizational eligibility, and required content). Proposals that do not meet these basic
requirements may not proceed to evaluation.
Compliant proposals will be assessed using the evaluation criteria described above.
Evaluators will use the published assessment levels for each criterion.
If NASA determines that additional clarification is needed, due diligence may be
conducted with select proposers whose submissions appear most aligned with the
evaluation criteria. Due diligence may include teleconferences or email exchanges to
confirm understanding and resolve ambiguities. Proposers may be asked to provide
supplemental information if necessary. These steps are intended to validate information,
not to negotiate terms.
Following evaluation and any due diligence, NASA will present recommendations to
NASA’s Astrobiology Program Lead as the designated Selection Official. The Selection
Official will consider the evaluation results along with programmatic factors such as
alignment with NASA’s strategic priorities and overall portfolio balance. NASA reserves
the right to select any or none of the proposals received in response to this AFPP. All
proposers will be notified of their status and provided feedback.
9
Participation in this AFPP is strictly voluntary. NASA is not obligated to select any
proposal submitted in response to this AFPP, bear any costs associated with proposal
development, or, if selected, for costs incurred by the Partner’s participation under the
resultant Space Act Agreement.
Government Proposal Review Personnel
The Government may use contractor support personnel to provide technical and business
expertise in support of the evaluation of proposals. Any contractor involvement will be
conducted under strict protective measures, including non-disclosure agreements and
conflict-of-interest provisions, to ensure the safeguarding of proprietary and sensitive
information. Contractors assisting NASA in this process will also be subject to
limitations on future contracting to prevent any appearance of bias or undue influence. By
submitting a proposal under this AFPP, the proposers acknowledge and consent to NASA
sharing proposal information with authorized contractor personnel solely for the purpose
of assisting in the review and evaluation of proposals. All such activities will occur under
appropriate protective conditions to maintain confidentiality and integrity throughout the
process.
IX. Proposal Submissions
Submissions must be provided electronically as unlocked PDF format via the NASA
Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES;
https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/).
You must be registered with NSPIRES to submit an AFPP response. See registration
instructions at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select “Create an Account” at the top right of
the landing page). Institution registration is not required to respond to this AFPP but in
order to set up a SAA you will need to specify an institution/organization.
NASA also requests and collects a limited set of demographic data from all registered
NSPIRES users for the purpose of future analysis of the demographic differences
associated with NASA’s award and review processes. Demographic items requested
include sex, race, ethnicity, and disability status. Submission of these demographic data
are voluntary, confidential, and not a precondition for using NSPIRES or submitting a
response to this AFPP. If you do not wish to provide demographic responses, choose the
buttons labeled “I Prefer Not to Answer”.
Submission Guidance and Known Issues:
1. There is no limit on the number of responses from an individual or organization.
2. Individuals without institutional affiliation may list “Self.”
3. You may replace an uploaded document before the deadline; however, once
submitted, proposals cannot be deleted. If submitting a corrected version, include
“CORRECTED” in the title.
4. Important: Some users have experienced issues with NSPIRES submissions. To
avoid problems:
10
5. Confirm your file meets NSPIRES PDF guidelines (NSPIRES Help).
6. Ensure your proposal includes your name, institution, and email address in the
document itself.
7. After uploading, verify that your document appears in the attachments section
before clicking “Submit.”
8. If you encounter technical issues, contact NSPIRES Help Desk immediately.
When you have an NSPIRES account, go the Announcement for Partnership Proposals
(AFPP): Astrobiology Science Conference, Number: NNH26ZDA009L page at:
https://go.nasa.gov/ABSCAFPP
1. Click “Create”
2. Log in when requested
3. Enter the Request Announcement for Information Partnership Proposals:
Response title NOTE: NSPIRES will show this as “NOI title”
4. Select "do not link at this time" for submitting organization page.
5. Click "Save" on next page.
6. It is not necessary to complete any of the "NOI Details"; all requested information
should be included in the attached PDF document. Information which is entered
into “NOI Details” but not included in the attached PDF document will not be
considered
7. Prepare your AFPP response offline and save as a PDF document (NSPIRES
instructions on PDF formats are described in the NSPIRES PDF Guidelines
available at
https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/externalhelp/public/index.htm#t=NSPIRES_
Documents_main.htm). The response document must include the respondent’s
Name, institution, and e-mail address so the file is self-contained.
8. To attach (upload) your narrative proposal (PDF) and revised model Space Act
Agreement (word document with Track Changes):
a.) Click "add" under NOI attachments section;
b.) Select "Proposal Document" from the drop-down list;
c.) Browse to attach your PDF or Word file;
d.) Select "Upload";
e.) Click "OK";
f.) Your AFPP document has been uploaded to NSPIRES.
9. Click Submit NOI button. NOTE: Clicking “Submit NOI” does not complete the
submission process.
10. Ignore any warnings about incomplete NOI elements.
11. Click "Submit". This will take you to the NOI submission confirmation page,
which provides you with the NOI/AFPP number for your records.
If you need assistance with NSPIRES, please contact NSPIRES support via phone (202)
479-9376, Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM EST/EDT (except for Federal Holidays) or
via email: nspires-help@nasaprs.com.
X. Points of Contact
11
Non-NSPIRES related inquiries must be submitted by email to the Astrobiology Program
Lead:
Rebecca McCauley Rench
NASA Headquarters
Email: rebecca.l.mccauleyrench@nasa.gov
When appropriate, questions and responses will be publicly posted for the benefit of all
proposers, with identifying information removed, in a Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ) posted on the NSPIRES landing page for this announcement at:
https://go.nasa.gov/ABSCAFPP
Ombudsman
An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from
interested parties concerning the selection process for this AFPP that cannot be resolved
by the Astrobiology Program Lead. Interested parties include the proposers, potential
proposers, and Space Act Agreement signatories. The existence of the Ombudsman is not
to diminish the authority of the Program Lead, the Evaluation Panel, the Selection
Official, or any formal adjudication of a matter related to this AFPP. Interested parties are
not to contact the Ombudsman to request copies of the AFPP, verify proposal due date, or
clarify technical goals and objectives. Such inquiries shall be directed to the Astrobiology
Program Lead (see above). Before consulting with the Ombudsman, interested parties
must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, or recommendations to the
Astrobiology Program Lead for resolution.
If resolution cannot be made by the Program Lead, interested parties may contact the
Ombudsman using the email below. At their discretion, the Ombudsman may request
that an interested party submit any concerns, issues, disagreements, or
recommendations in writing. Submissions or inquiries made to either the Agreements
Officer or the Ombudsman will neither suspend the selection process, the award or
performance of the resulting Space Act Agreement. The Ombudsman may be contacted
at: HQ-SMD-Agreement-Ombudsman@mail.nasa.gov
12
APPENDIX A
Historical Summary Table of AbSciCons
Month/Year &
Theme
Location Hosts/Sponsors Relevant Links
April 2000
(1st AbSciCon)
Mountain
View, CA
NASA Ames
Research Center
(ARC)
NASA
Astrobiology
Institute (NAI)
Kral. 2000. Meteoritics and
Planetary Science, 35(3) -
ADS link
April 2002 Mountain
View, CA
NASA ARC
NAI
NASA ARC Press Release -
archive link
March 2004 Mountain
View, CA
NASA ARC
NAI
NASA ARC Press Release -
archive link
March 2006 Washington,
DC
Carnegie
Institute of
Washington
NASA ARC
NASA ARC Press Release –
archive link
April 2008
Theme: “The
Astronomical and
Planetary Context
for Life”, “The
Origin and
Evolution of Life”,
and “The Search
for Life in our
Solar System and
Beyond.”
Santa Clara,
CA
SETI Institute
Sponsors:
NASA
NASA Astrobiology
Program, Feature Story - link
April 2010
Theme:
“Evolution and
Life: Surviving
Catastrophes and
Extremes on Earth
and Beyond”
League City,
TX
Universities
Space Research
Association
(USRA)
Lunar and
Planetary
Institute (LPI)
Sponsors:
NASA
Conference Website - USRA
link
NASA Astrobiology
Program, Feature Story - link
13
April 2012
Theme:
“Exploring Life:
Past, Present, Near
and Far”
Atlanta, GA Georgia
Institute of
Technology
NASA
Press Release - Georgia Tech
NAI Session Archive - link
June 2015
Theme:
“Habitability,
Habitable Worlds,
and Life”
Chicago, IL USRA
LPI
NASA
University of
Illinois-
Chicago
Sponsors:
Earth Life
Science Institute
(ELSI), Smart
Sparrow, Blue
Marble Space
Institute, and
University of
Montana
Conference Website - USRA
link
NASA Astrobiology
Program, Feature Story - link
June 2017
Theme:
“Detectability of
Diverse Life on
Different Worlds”
Mesa, AZ USRA
LPI
NASA
Sponsors:
ELSI, Smart
Sparrow,
Qwaltec, Blue
Marble Space
Institute, and
Arizona State
University
Conference Website - USRA
link
June 2019
Theme:
“Understanding
and Enabling the
Search for Life on
Bellevue,
WA
American
Geophysical
Union (AGU)
NASA
Conference Website - AGU
link
NASA-AGU Space Act
Agreement
14
Worlds Near and
Far.”
University of
Washington
Sponsors: SETI
Institute, ELSI,
Blue Marble
Space Institute
May 2022
Theme: " Origins
and Exploration:
From Stars to
Cells."
Atlanta, GA American
Geophysical
Union (AGU)
Georgia Tech
NASA
Sponsors: SETI
Institute, ELSI,
Blue Marble
Space Institute
AbSciCon2022
May 2024
Theme:
"Advancing the
Search for Life."
Providence,
RI
American
Geophysical
Union (AGU)
University of
Rhode Island
NASA
Sponsors: SETI
Institute, Blue
Marble Space
Institute
https://www.agu.org/abscicon
May 2026 Madison, WI American
Geophysical
Union (AGU)
NASA
Sponsors: SETI
Institute, Blue
Marble Space
Institute
Conference Website - AGU
link
- Documents
- Title
- Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) For a Partnership Agreement Related to the Astrobiology Science Conference as amended on 07162026 (.pdf)
- Title
- Appendix B AbSciCon Model Space Act Agreement (.docx)
- Description
- - NOTICE: Amendment #1 July 16, 2026: The amendment extends the deadline for proposals. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. There are no other textual changes than the date changes.
- Directorate
- Science Mission Directorate
- File Excerpt
- NOTICE: Amendment #1 July 16, 2026: The amendment extends the deadline for proposals. New text is in bold and deleted text is struck through. There are no other textual changes than the date changes. Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) For a Partnership Agreement Related to the Astrobiology Science Conference NNH26ZDA009L Release Date: April 23, 2026 Due Date: July 17 31, 2026 Short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/ABSCAFPP I. Statement of Purpose NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is seeking to collaborate with an eligible entity, on a non-reimbursable (no-exchange-of-funds) basis, to oversee planning and logistics, as well as develop program content, for a biennial (approximately every 2 years) astrobiology science conference.
- Release Date
- Apr 27, 2026
- Contact Email
- nspires-help@nasaprs.com
- Contact Phone
- (202) 479-9376
