FY25 Early Career Initiate (ECI) Solicitation Released!

The Early Career Initiative (ECI) Program provides the opportunity for NASA’s early career workforce to propose and develop innovative aerospace technology projects, engage with leading industry and academic partners, and develop the skills required to manage and transition transformative concepts into future NASA missions. All NASA early career civil servants (typically defined as service within 10 years of beginning a professional career) are eligible to serve as an ECI Principal Investigator or early career team member.

The FY25 awards are $2M over the two-year period of performance. Training courses will be provided for the Principal Investigators, Project Managers, and early career team members at no cost to the projects. Procurement funds up to $100K will be provided to projects selected for award to initiate external partnership agreements in advance of the October 1, 2024 project start date.

Find the full FY25 ECI Solicitation HERE

Key Dates (in the event of an extended government shutdown, the following dates will be adjusted):

• Call for Proposals Released: November 13, 2023
• Proposer’s Virtual Forum:  December 14, 2023,12:00-2:00PM ET (virtual)
  • Team Virtual Meeting: Click here to join the meeting
• Notice or Intent to Propose (NOI): December 15, 2023
  • Email: arc-cct@mail.nasa.gov
  • PI name + project title
• Additional Q&A Sessions:  January 18, 2024; February 15, 2024, 1:00-2:00PM ET (virtual)
• Concept Slides Due: January 19, 2024
  • Email: arc-cct@mail.nasa.gov
  • 2 slides max (concept + teaming)
• Ames Concept Review: January 24, 2024 (target)
• Draft Proposal Due: February 16, 2024
  • Email: arc-cct@mail.nasa.gov
• Draft Proposals Review and Down-selection: February 26, 2024 (target)
• Video & Final Proposal Review: March 12, 2024 (tentative)
• Proposals Due to HQ: March 15, 2024 (5:00 PM ET)
• Selection Notification: April 17, 2024 (target)
• Project Start Date: October 1, 2024

Please let us know if you have any questions about the solicitation or updates for FY25 by emailing: 
arc-cct@mail.nasa.gov

FY24 Early Career Initiative (ECI) Awards:

• Dan Sirbu, ARC: AstroPIC: Photonic Integrated Circuit High-Contrast Imaging for Space Astronomy
• Meghan Bush, GRC: MAI TAI: Mitigating Arc Inception via Transformational Array Instrumentation
• Peter Snapp, GSFC: Design of a Broad Utility, Visible-Blind, SiC, UV Spectrometer for Astrophysics, Planetary and Earth Science Applications
• Amy Felt, KSC: Advancement of Exploration Components for In-Space Servicing (AXCIS)

FY23 Early Career Initiative (ECI) Awards:

• Diana Gentry/ARC: Aerosol Rapid Analysis Combined Entry Probe/sonde Technology (AERACEPT)
• Beau Compton/GRC: Carbon Utilization Technology for Lunar and Atmospheric Systems (CUTLAS)
• Berhanu Bulcha/GSFC: Terahertz Heterodyne Spectrometer for In Situ Resource Utilization (THSiRU)
• Soumyo Dutta/LaRC: Aerocapture System as an Enabling Technology for Ice Giants Missions
• Thomas Teasley/MSFC: Closing of Critical Technology Gaps for High-Efficiency Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines

Congratulations to these highly competitive proposals!

POC: Jill Bauman