SVC-033 / Specialist intake
Apply for an open science grant
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SCIcommissionUnion-wide competence
Public science with assessable methods
Science and Discovery maintains a public scientific system that can ask questions without converting every unknown into a commercial opportunity or a policy certainty. It serves researchers, instrument custodians, communities hosting facilities and people seeking access to scientific knowledge. Its public value includes null results, replication and preserved evidence.
Choose your route
Office output: Research protocol
Research and civic organisations
SVC-037 / Specialist intake
Reserve an observatory instrument
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-038 / Specialist intake
Register a deep-space survey mission
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-034 / Competent referral
Access an ocean-world research site
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
SVC-035 / Competent referral
Return a extraterrestrial sample
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
People and households
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
SVC-041 / Competent referral
Obtain legal aid remotely
Decision owner: Justice & Legal Cooperation Commission
Companies and cooperatives
SVC-038 / Specialist intake
Register a deep-space survey mission
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-034 / Competent referral
Access an ocean-world research site
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
SVC-035 / Competent referral
Return a extraterrestrial sample
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
SVC-036 / Competent referral
Propose a Mars engineering trial
Decision owner: Planetary Engineering & Terraforming Commission
SVC-045 / Competent referral
Request public records
Decision owner: Archives, Libraries & Memory Commission
Public administrations
SVC-033 / Specialist intake
Apply for an open science grant
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-037 / Specialist intake
Reserve an observatory instrument
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-038 / Specialist intake
Register a deep-space survey mission
Decision owner: Science & Discovery Commission
SVC-034 / Competent referral
Access an ocean-world research site
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
SVC-035 / Competent referral
Return a extraterrestrial sample
Decision owner: Planetary Protection Authority
Grants, instruments, missions and open knowledge
Directorates cover planetary science, astronomy, life sciences, fundamental physics, research infrastructure and integrity. Funding and instrument access are evaluated against research method, public value, competence and stewardship. Proposals identify the raw evidence to retain, how uncertainty is represented and how another team could assess the result.
The powers we hold and the powers we refer
The Commission cannot approve its own planetary protection finding through a grant award. Planetary Protection Authority retains protection, Bioethics & Future Generations Council human and future-generation ethics, and Standards, Time & Measurement Authority accredited measurement scope. A research contract distinguishes scientific independence from sponsor access and commercial publication demands.
A case in practice
Illustrative case / SCI
A small outer-system institute requests observatory time. The access panel examines method, instrument compatibility and an offline analysis plan rather than requiring a live inner-system presentation. The award names evidence custody and a reproducibility record. Unsuccessful applicants receive reasons and an accessible review route.
Responsibilities and programmes
Planetary Science
Planetary Science brings together geology laboratories, atmosphere research and comparative planetology.
Explore this programme →Astronomy & Cosmology
Astronomy & Cosmology brings together observatory networks, solar physics and deep-space telescopes.
Explore this programme →Life Sciences
Life Sciences brings together astrobiology grants, microgravity biology and human adaptation research.
Explore this programme →Fundamental Physics
Fundamental Physics brings together precision clocks, particle research and gravity experiments.
Explore this programme →Research Infrastructure
Research Infrastructure brings together shared laboratory access, sample repositories and instrument calibration.
Explore this programme →Scientific Integrity
Scientific Integrity brings together replication grants, open data practice and misconduct referrals.
Explore this programme →Where our powers stop
Research funding does not confer permission to disturb protected environments.
Public records and accountability
SCI/REGRecords and reasoned determinations
SCI/CONTACTAnnual service plan; public decisions; performance and expenditure report.
Contact the competent office
Accessible assistance, evidence alternatives, institutional handoffs and review.