NASA Postdoctoral Program - Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Exploration (MatISSE)

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented U.S. and non-U.S. scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. This specific opportunity focuses on the Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Exploration (MatISSE) Program, which supports the advanced development of spacecraft-based instruments that show promise for use in future planetary missions. The entry level Technology Readiness Level for this program has been raised to TRL 4 in order to more clearly differentiate this program from the PICASSO program. The goal of the program is to develop and demonstrate planetary and astrobiology science instruments to the point where they may be proposed in response to future announcements of flight opportunity without additional extensive technology development (approximately technology readiness level (TRL) 6). The proposed instrument must address specific scientific objectives of likely future planetary science missions. Applicants who apply for this research opportunity and are subsequently selected for an NPP award are expected to attend the Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon) and/or the Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) using the travel funds that are conferred as part of the NPP award. This fellowship is designed for postdoctoral researchers in astrobiology who will work with NASA advisors on instrument development for planetary science missions.