NASA Hydrosphere Research: ROSES-2025 A.17 (Historical Reference)
NASA research opportunity supporting studies of Earth’s water system across ocean physics, precipitation science and terrestrial hydrology. Applications use a two-step proposal process.
NASA Hydrosphere Research: ROSES-2025 A.17 (Historical Reference)
Historical reference: The mandatory first-stage deadline has passed. NASA will return a full proposal without review if it was not preceded by an on-time, compliant Step 1. The second-stage deadline remains ahead for qualifying teams; NSPIRES labels the solicitation open. No subsequent Hydrosphere round has been announced in the official sources checked.
Overview and award details
NASA’s ROSES-2025 A.17 Hydrosphere opportunity supports research on how water is distributed and moves through the atmosphere, across land, and through the ocean. Its scientific aim is to improve observation, understanding, and prediction of the Earth water system. The program is built around satellite observations, surface networks, and airborne measurements, so a competitive project needs to connect a clear scientific question to relevant measurements and explain why NASA data are essential to its primary objectives. This is a research grant opportunity, not a general-purpose award for any project that touches water. Applicants must select and fit one of the solicitation’s four defined subelements. Official solicitation
The four areas are ocean physics, precipitation science, terrestrial hydrology, and cross-cutting research. The subelement matters both scientifically and financially: NASA gives different expected annual budgets for each. Those figures describe anticipated subelement budgets, not a single guaranteed award amount for every proposal. The official materials do not state one program-wide individual award size. Terrestrial hydrology projects have a total cap of $800,000 over three to four years; field campaign and ground measurement costs are not allowed in those proposals. Anticipated award counts are listed for the first three subelements, while an applicant should consult the solicitation itself for the subelement-specific context and any updates before shaping a budget.
For snow-focused terrestrial hydrology, NASA also plans a winter field campaign during 2027–2028. It is expected to collect snow-depth measurements and reference data, which will be made publicly available. That is a useful potential source of observations for suitable research, but the campaign applies to the snow-focused work described in the solicitation; it should not be treated as a resource promised to every Hydrosphere project.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | NASA Science Mission Directorate, through NSPIRES |
| Opportunity | ROSES-2025 A.17 Hydrosphere |
| Funding type | Research grant |
| Scientific scope | Ocean physics, precipitation science, terrestrial hydrology, or cross-cutting research |
| Core fit condition | One subelement’s scope must fit, and NASA data must be essential to primary scientific objectives |
| Expected annual subelement budgets | Ocean physics: $2.0 million; precipitation science: $1.5 million; terrestrial hydrology: $2.0 million; cross-cutting: $1.0 million |
| Individual award amount | No single program-wide figure; terrestrial hydrology projects are capped at $800,000 total |
| Step 1 deadline | October 8, 2026 (passed; mandatory for Step 2) |
| Step 2 deadline | January 28, 2027 |
| Submission system | NSPIRES, with Step 1 submitted electronically by the Authorized Organizational Representative |
| International participation | Non-U.S. organizations may participate without exchange of NASA funds; their work must be funded elsewhere |
Who should apply and eligibility
This opportunity is intended for research teams whose proposed science fits one of the four Hydrosphere subelements. First identify the primary research question and the water-system process it addresses, then map that work to the scope stated for ocean physics, precipitation science, terrestrial hydrology, or cross-cutting research. “Cross-cutting” is itself a defined subelement; it should not be assumed to be a catch-all for proposals that do not clearly fit the other areas. The solicitation requires applicants to identify one subelement and meet that subelement’s specific scope.
A central eligibility and fit condition is that NASA data be essential to the primary scientific objectives. A proposal should make that dependence clear: identify which NASA observations or data products enable the work, explain their role in the analysis, and connect them directly to the question being asked. Merely mentioning NASA data as background or as one optional source may not demonstrate the required relationship. The brief does not name a particular data product or measurement as mandatory across all four areas; use the subelement’s full description to determine what is relevant to a particular project.
Non-U.S. organizations may participate, including in collaboration with U.S. researchers, but NASA funds cannot be exchanged with them under this opportunity. The non-U.S. institution’s portion of the work must be paid for from other sources. A team considering international collaboration should make the division of work and funding workable under that condition and confirm the details in the solicitation and applicable institutional guidance. Participation does not imply that the non-U.S. collaborator can receive NASA funds through a U.S. partner.
How to Apply
New applicants cannot enter this round without an on-time, compliant Step 1. Teams that submitted one can prepare Step 2 even if NASA discouraged the submission. The full proposal must retain the same scientific goals and principal investigator as Step 1, though other team members can change.
The application is a two-step proposal process. An on-time, compliant Step-1 proposal is required before an intended Step-2 proposal can be submitted. Each intended Step-2 proposal needs its own Step-1 submission. In practical terms, do not assume that one Step 1 covers multiple later proposals, or that a Step 2 can cure a missing or late Step 1.
The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) submits Step 1 electronically through NSPIRES. Coordinate institutional registration and submission responsibilities early enough for the AOR to complete the filing by the deadline; the program fact sheet identifies the AOR as the submitter. The Step-1 cover page called for a proposal summary, business data, program-specific data, and proposal team information. It also required an uploaded PDF with a two-page science, technical, and management section addressing scientific impact, goals, work plan, and the indispensable role of NASA data and models in four separate subsections. Step 1 does not require a budget, according to the solicitation. That does not mean that budget planning can be postponed until the final day: Step 2 does require a budget and budget narrative.
Step 2 is the full proposal stage. Its required components specifically include a budget with a budget narrative, an Open Science and Data Management Plan of up to two pages, and a scientific, technical, and management section limited to 10 pages. Treat those stated limits as document constraints while preparing the full submission. The technical proposal must be anonymized for dual-anonymous review and include an anonymized work-effort table and a redacted, anonymized budget and narrative. Upload a separate, non-anonymized expertise and resources document, including the data management plan, and a complete separate Total Budget for U.S. organizations. An optional high-end computing request is a separate upload. Follow the solicitation tables for all required components, including biographical sketches and current and pending support in NASA-specific SciENcv format.
Timeline and deadlines
The official NSPIRES listing gives the Step-1 deadline as October 8, 2026. Step 2 is due January 28, 2027. The first deadline has passed, while the later deadline applies only to teams with an on-time, compliant Step 1. NASA says any Step-2 proposal without that prerequisite will be returned without review. The NSPIRES status of “Open” should not be mistaken for an opportunity to start a new application. NASA has not announced a subsequent Hydrosphere solicitation in the sources checked; its general plan for a future ROSES release does not establish a new Hydrosphere deadline.
Preparation and common mistakes
The following are practical preparation suggestions, not additional published program requirements. Start by writing one sentence that states the scientific question and one sentence that explains why NASA data are necessary to answer it. If those statements do not clearly point to one subelement, compare the proposal idea against the official scopes before investing in a longer draft. This helps prevent a mismatch between the work and the category selected on the application.
Build a simple compliance checklist directly from the solicitation. For a qualifying team, include the Step-2 deadline, the separate-Step-1 rule for each intended Step-2 proposal, and the Step-2 components, anonymity requirements, and page limits confirmed here. Assign an owner for each item and leave time to resolve organizational submission issues. This checklist is a planning aid; the current solicitation remains the authority for the complete required package.
For international teams, resolve funding responsibilities before assembling the final package. The stated condition is that NASA funds are not exchanged with non-U.S. organizations and their work is funded from other sources. Confirm that each organization can cover its planned contribution and verify current submission instructions. For snow-related proposals, distinguish the announced 2027–2028 campaign and public data from already available data; do not build a schedule or method around campaign observations without checking the solicitation and project timing.
Frequently asked questions
Is this an open funding opportunity?
NSPIRES labels it open, but the mandatory Step-1 deadline of October 8, 2026, has passed. Only teams with an on-time, compliant Step 1 can proceed to the January 28, 2027 Step-2 deadline. No later Hydrosphere round has been announced in the official sources checked. Check NSPIRES for amendments and future opportunities.
How much can one proposal request?
There is no single program-wide individual award amount in the solicitation. Terrestrial hydrology projects may request no more than $800,000 total over three to four years. Expected annual budgets are $2.0 million for ocean physics, $1.5 million for precipitation science, $2.0 million for terrestrial hydrology, and $1.0 million for cross-cutting research. These are subelement-level expectations, not a statement that each award receives that amount. Review the solicitation for the applicable budget context.
Can an organization outside the United States apply or collaborate?
Non-U.S. organizations may participate without exchange of funds. Their work must be funded from other sources. Confirm the detailed arrangement and current application instructions in the solicitation before forming the proposal budget and team plan.
Does Step 1 need a budget?
No budget is required at Step 1 according to the solicitation. Step 2 does require a budget and budget narrative. Verify the complete forms and package instructions in NSPIRES.
What are the main Step-2 page limits?
The scientific, technical, and management section is limited to 10 pages. The Open Science and Data Management Plan may be up to two pages. The two limits do not establish page limits for other sections, so do not extrapolate these limits to the full proposal.
Is there an announced snow measurement campaign?
NASA plans a snow-focused winter field campaign in 2027–2028 with snow-depth measurements and reference data, with campaign data to be publicly available. The plan applies to snow-focused terrestrial hydrology work, with the corrected solicitation identifying the East-Taylor River Basin in Colorado. Check the solicitation for the campaign’s scope and how it relates to a specific proposed study.
Official sources and what to verify
The primary reference is NASA’s ROSES-2025 A.17 Hydrosphere solicitation document. The live NSPIRES opportunity listing is the source for the listing status and the confirmed proposal deadlines. Use both official sources to check updates, detailed subelement scopes, complete Step-2 materials, formatting rules, and any organization-specific eligibility terms.
There is no single overall individual award amount. Award or notification dates and any additional applicant restrictions should be checked in the official materials. The solicitation and live NSPIRES record are the way to resolve those points. Do not substitute the subelement budget totals for an individual award figure or infer a requirement that is not stated in the official materials.