Keck Institute for Space Studies Call for Concepts for 2020 Study Programs

The Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) is soliciting proposals for Study Programs to be carried out during the 2020 calendar year.

The goal of the Keck Institute is to develop ideas and concepts that have the potential to revolutionize space science and engineering, especially those that have the potential to impact or create future space missions. The Institute will do this by convening study programs and workshops that bring together leading scientists and engineers from the external research community along with the best engineers and scientists from JPL and the Caltech Campus. We are interested in bringing people together in novel ways on in-depth collaborations that will pursue new scientific and technical directions.

We intend to select and support 4-5 Study Programs for the 2020 calendar year. Submitting a concept proposal is the first step in developing a proposal for a 2020 KISS study. All selected study programs will be eligible to propose for one year of technical follow-on funding at the successful conclusion of their study program and submittal of final report. Should additional funding be made available in the future, technical development follow-on teams may propose for a second year of funding.

Study program concepts are solicited in the areas of space engineering, planetary science, remote sensing and earth system science, astrobiology, and astronomy and physics from space. We very much encourage proposal concepts from individuals outside the JPL and Caltech communities as well as individuals from JPL and Campus.

The Keck Institute is looking for approaches that would not happen without KISS sponsorship. We are looking for technically oriented studies that significantly advance a field. Proposals for incremental advances are not solicited here.

We especially encourage proposal concepts for studies that might involve a partnership in the study program between KISS and another organization. Potential partners could include commercial industry, private sector organizations including foundations, or government organizations. We encourage innovative concepts in this regard.

We will also consider proposals for 1-2 day symposia that are interdisciplinary in nature and that would highlight the Campus/JPL leadership in a new or strategically important area.