NASA Cuts Funding Support For Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference (Update)

Keith’s note: NASA SMD just issued this solicitation notice: in response to Request for Information: Conference on Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences issued in November 2024: Decision Made Not to Solicit Partnership Proposals – one Q&A response says “NASA will not be providing any financial support to the partner. Under the partnership approach, NASA partners on a collaborative basis with an entity that hosts its own conference. Under this arrangement, NASA pays for its own contributions to the partnership, while the partner covers the other conference costs, including providing the venue. NASA HQ also intends to participate in this conference as a venue for the dissemination and exchange of information and ideas among the lunar and planetary science communities.” Full notice and LPI update below.

Request for Information: Conference on Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences

Number: NNH25ZDA006L Short URL: https://go.nasa.gov/LPSS24RFI

The Science Mission Directorate’s (SMD) Planetary Science Division(PSD) is updating its Community Announcement regarding future Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conferences that was published under Number: NNH25ZDA006L as a special notice on SAM.gov.

In November 2024, NASA issued a Request for Information (RFI) NNH25ZDA006L to gauge interest in a partnership to organize a conference on lunar, planetary, and space science. Based on the response to this RFI, NASA gave an update on progress towards a future release of an Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) in February 2025. This email notice is to inform the community that, at this time, NASA has decided not to pursue an AFPP as described in the RFI and the “Questions and Answers for the LPSS RFI posted February 10, 2025 (.pdf)”. The Planetary Science Division is studying options for future support of community-led and community-driven topical workshops, symposiums, and conferences.

To review the Lunar, Planetary and Space Sciences Conference Request for Information and Q&A document, visit the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. choose/click on “Solicitations” at the top of the page, and on the next page input number “NNH25ZDA006L” in the search box or use the short URL above.

Additional questions may be directed to the RFI’s point of contact:

Dr. Aaron Burton
Planetary Science Division
Science Mission Directorate
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, D.C. 20546
Email: [email protected]

5 June 2025 update from LPI:

“To the Planetary Science Community:

For over five decades, the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) has been the premier forum for scientific collaboration and discovery, bringing together more than 2,000 planetary scientists and students each year to share research that advances our understanding of the solar system.

NASA recently announced that it will not request proposals for LPSC 2026 at this time. Because USRA/LPI recognizes the importance of this conference to the planetary community, we are pleased to share our intent to host and organize the 57th LPSC next year.

As a long-standing and trusted partner, USRA/LPI remains dedicated to delivering a program of scientific excellence developed with and for the community.

We look forward to sharing more details later this year.”