In order to be considered, data analysis proposals must use data that are in the public domain 90 days before the CDAPS proposals due date, and they must make clear to the peer reviewers that the data are publicly available. Proposals that do not comply with this rule may be declared noncompliant and declined without evaluation. It is understood, however, that once the grant is awarded, succeeding years of work may address data that have subsequently come into the archive. Data that are otherwise in the public domain via open literature publications and other freely available sources are also eligible. Whether from the PDS or another source, if the data to be analyzed is not certified or otherwise has issues that might represent an obstacle to analysis, the proposers must clearly demonstrate that such potential difficulties can be overcome. Proposals must be focused on the Saturn system and make significant use of data returned by Cassini instruments.

In the first two years of the CDAPS program data from the Cassini Jupiter flyby in 2000 were eligible. This is no longer true. Proposals that address Jupiter data should be directed to the Outer Planets Research program (C.7).

See Cassini Data Analysis and Participating Scientists (CDAPS) frequently asked questions ( CDAPS FAQ ) for more information.