NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has said it plans to release ROSES-27, the next edition of its umbrella research solicitation, “no later than January 2027.” The announcement, published on NASA’s science site and last updated 20 October 2026, comes after the ROSES-26 edition that NASA had said in January 2026 would appear in July 2026 was not released. Science societies have since written to NASA asking for a predictable schedule and for changes to the current ROSES-25 text. For NASA-funded principal investigators and sponsored-programs offices, the practical question is how to plan around a solicitation calendar that has moved.
What NASA has said
NASA’s statement, “NASA Prepares ROSES-27 to Advance American Science and Leadership in Space”, says SMD plans to release ROSES-27 no later than January 2027, with approximately 50 program elements spanning astrophysics, life and physical sciences, Earth science, heliophysics, lunar science, planetary science and cross-disciplinary research. It ties the timing to NASA’s “Faster to Science” emphasis. The statement does not mention ROSES-26.
Separately, NASA says it is adding opportunities to the current edition, ROSES-25, including new work in the cryosphere and geosphere, planetary science facilities, astrophysics theory and observations, and heliophysics spaceflight science and low-cost access to space. Its appendix lists deadlines that are open now:
| ROSES-25 program element | Notice of intent / Step-1 | Proposal / Step-2 |
|---|---|---|
| C.4 Planetary Science Enabling Facilities | N/A | 10 Nov 2026 |
| D.4 Theoretical and Computational Astrophysics Networks | 15 Oct 2026 (mandatory NOI) | 3 Dec 2026 |
| A.16 Cryosphere | 16 Oct 2026 (mandatory NOI) | 4 Dec 2026 |
| A.18 Geosphere | 16 Nov 2026 (mandatory NOI) | 15 Jan 2027 |
| D.3F NuSTAR, Fermi, Swift and TESS cycles | N/A | 28 Jan 2027 (Phase-1 via ARK RPS) |
| B.8 Heliophysics Spaceflight Science Foundations | 20 Nov 2026 (Step-1) | 5 Feb 2027 (Step-2) |
| B.7 Heliophysics Low-Cost Access to Space | 20 Nov 2026 (Step-1) | 16 Mar 2027 (Step-2) |
The statement also refers to the “Golden Age of Science” initiatives announced on 8 October, which focus on scientific review practices and support for early-career researchers.
ROSES-26 and the societies’ reading
NASA announced in January 2026 that ROSES-2026 would be released in July 2026. According to the AGU-published account of the coalition letter and to the letter’s own links, that did not happen. The societies read the October announcement of ROSES-27 as meaning ROSES-26 will not appear as a standalone edition; NASA’s published statement does not say this, and this article attributes that reading to the societies rather than to NASA. Until a new edition is released, ROSES-25 remains the live solicitation, which is why NASA is amending it with new elements.
The community letter
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) and eight other organizations sent a letter to NASA in late October 2026; AAS reported it in its 28 October policy update, and the AAS news post and the letter itself are on the AAS site. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) described joining a coalition letter to the NASA Administrator in a 5 November 2026 post on The Bridge. As summarised there, the letter asks NASA to:
- Rescind the 15 June 2026 ROSES-25 updates that align with a proposed OMB rule, “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” (Federal Register, 29 May 2026), and leave them out of future solicitations unless that rule is finalized.
- Disburse ROSES-25 award funds on a timely, predictable basis.
- Return to a regular, predictable solicitation schedule and keep the announced ROSES-27 timeline, publishing clear timelines for future solicitations, selections and funding.
The AGU summary says the objections to the June amendment concern three provisions: pre-issuance review of discretionary awards by senior appointees; language that awards “may be terminated at the convenience of the government”; and language that “preference may be given to institutions with lower indirect cost rates.” It also reports late awards and disbursements across many program elements, citing the Astrophysics Data Analysis Program, whose awards were announced on 8 October 2026, nearly two years after its previous awards in October 2024. These are the coalition’s characterisations; NASA has not, in the sources reviewed, responded to them point by point.
What PIs and sponsored-programs offices should plan for
The following is editorial interpretation, not NASA guidance.
- Treat January 2027 as a target. “No later than” is NASA’s wording, but no ROSES-27 text exists yet. Avoid building hard internal deadlines, cost-share commitments or hiring plans on assumed ROSES-27 due dates.
- Use ROSES-25 windows that are open. Where a ROSES-25 element fits the proposed work, the deadlines above are the confirmed ones. Mandatory notices of intent, where listed, are a gate to the proposal.
- Read the current terms before submitting. The 15 June amendment text on termination, indirect cost preference and pre-issuance review is part of what proposers and institutional signatories are agreeing to under ROSES-25. Research offices should read the current amendment with their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement and termination provisions in mind, and ask their institution’s counsel or government-relations office where the language raises questions.
- Model cash flow for late awards. Where a ROSES-25 selection has been announced but funding has not arrived, confirm with the program officer what the expected start date is before committing pre-award spending, and apply your institution’s pre-award spending policy.
- Watch for the actual release. Check NASA’s solicitations page and the NSPIRES and ARK systems for the ROSES-27 text, its amendments and any rule changes before relying on prior-year templates.
Related
For how federal award terms and indirect costs are administered in general, see CASRAI’s grants management hub.
Sources
- NASA SMD, NASA Prepares ROSES-27 to Advance American Science and Leadership in Space (updated 20 October 2026)
- AGU The Bridge, AGU joins coalition letter on NASA ROSES (5 November 2026)
- AAS, Policy update, 28 October 2026
- AAS, AAS and partners send letter to NASA raising concerns about grant programs
