# DRAFT Announcement of Opportunity (AO) -- 2025 Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX)

Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/nnh25zda008j

- Solicitation number: NNH25ZDA008J
- Notice type: Special notice
- Status: Closed. Deadline was April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT
- Department: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Contracting office: NASA Headquarters (80HQTR)
- NAICS: 54171 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Product or service code: AR11 Space R&D Services; Space Flight, Research And Supporting Activities; Basic Research
- First posted: January 13, 2025
- Last posted: March 23, 2026
- SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/dfb0aeef203042a6874112e90903370f/view

## Description

**2nd Amendment:** NASA is reactivating and amending this special notice to announce 1) a new primary POC; 2) that the release of the final AO text is expected no earlier than the 2nd quarter of calendar year 2026; and 3) to add a PDF file named “3rdNSPIRESemail”. After reading this 3rd PDF file, only via email contact both the listed primary and secondary points of contact and use "2026 SMEX AO" in the subject line.

**1st Amendment:** NASA is reactivating and amending this special notice to announce 1) that the release of the final AO text is postponed and 2) to add a PDF file named “2ndNSPIRESemail”. Only after reading this 2nd PDF file, only via email contact both the listed primary and secondary points of contact and use "DRAFT 2025 SMEX AO" in the subject line.

On or after the publication date of this SAM.gov special notice, the DRAFT full text for the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for the 2025Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) will be available for download from the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com.

When you reach NSPIRES, click on the word “Solicitations” at the top of the NSPIRES landing page and then on the next page enter the number “NNH25ZDA008J” in the search box or use the direct URL provided below to the SMEX page on NSPIRES. The attached file entitled “1stNSPIRESemail” is a copy of text from an NSPIRES email sent to Science Mission Directorate List Serv subscribers.

After reading the full SMEX draft AO text available from NSPIRES, please address any comments and questions only via email to both the listed primary and secondary points of contact and use "DRAFT 2025 SMEX AO" in the subject line. This SAM.gov notice is not a complete or verbatim summary of the draft AO.

## Publications

- January 13, 2025: Special notice, due February 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. Notice 137b635e27ea43b48ad4a8d402912100. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/137b635e27ea43b48ad4a8d402912100/view
- April 30, 2025: Special notice, due June 20, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT. Notice 2c45b048eb394d31b8ae55e512562a1d. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/2c45b048eb394d31b8ae55e512562a1d/view
- April 30, 2025: Special notice, due June 20, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT. Notice ff314a4762fe46738b69b7d810920d43. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/ff314a4762fe46738b69b7d810920d43/view
- January 5, 2026: Special notice, due February 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Notice 4c71b2085be6407c8bc02b9055ac9857. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/4c71b2085be6407c8bc02b9055ac9857/view
- January 5, 2026: Special notice, due February 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Notice f0576e0faf934cb7b3ad0d7b73fa990c. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/f0576e0faf934cb7b3ad0d7b73fa990c/view
- March 23, 2026: Special notice, due April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. Notice 34e4fa90cd88437481ab1bd85f6814d6. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/34e4fa90cd88437481ab1bd85f6814d6/view
- March 23, 2026: Special notice, due April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. Notice 458df6f18dff4d608b8eb44bdfa4e864. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/458df6f18dff4d608b8eb44bdfa4e864/view
- March 23, 2026: Special notice, due April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. Notice dfb0aeef203042a6874112e90903370f. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/dfb0aeef203042a6874112e90903370f/view

## Points of contact

- John Wisniewski, john.p.wisniewski@nasa.gov
- E. Lucien Cox – Astrophysics Small Explorers Program Executive - Science Mission Directorate, elbert.l.cox@nasa.gov

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Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/nnh25zda008j.