FAQs

Under Revision August 2020

Q:  What is the Task Book, and why do I need to submit data? A:  The Space Life & Physical Sciences Research & Applications Division Task Book is an online database of research projects supported by the Space Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Human Research Program research areas within the Space Life & Physical Sciences Research & Applications (SLPSRA) Division of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate. Research projects wihin the National Space Biomedical Research Institue (NSBRI) are also covered. Information includes project descriptions, annual or final research results, research impacts, and a listing of publications resulting from this NASA-funded research. Investigators are required to update their Task Book reports on an annual basis. Once approved by the Task Book Editor, reports are released to the public Task Book site: https://taskbook.nasaprs.com. Task Book reports are an important source of information about NASA-funded research, providing users, such as NASA program managers and scientists, funded investigators, peer reviewers of NASA grant proposals, the scientific community, and the Congress, with an up-to-date account of NASA Space Life & Physical Sciences Research & Applications Division research. Not only does it serve as a resource for potential researchers during proposal submission, Task Book is also used as the source of publication and student metrics, which are reported to NASA senior management, Congress, and the National Academy of Sciences. Q:  Who do I contact for questions regarding my NASA grant? A:  Your NASA Center contact or Technical Monitor will be best able to answer any questions you might have regarding the status of your NASA grant. If you are not sure who to contact, email or call the Task Book Help Desk at: taskbook@nasaprs.com or 202.479.9030 x417. Q:  Who do I contact for Task Book technical difficulties? A:  Contact Task Book help desk at: taskbook@nasaprs.com, 202.479.9030 x417 (M-F, 9-5 Eastern Time). Q:  I have lost my Userid/Password. How can I retrieve it? A:  Contact the Task Book Help Desk (taskbook@nasaprs.com, 202.479.9030 x417) to retrieve your Userid/Password. Q:  If I leave my computer or stop working on my submission in mid-process, will my data be saved? A:  If you are planning to leave your computer or are interrupted, be sure to click the "Save" button, so that your data is saved. If you stop work for longer than 60 minutes, your "Session" will time out. You then need to login again. If you saved your data, you will have access to the data you recently entered. Any data entered but not saved will be lost. Idle time is the time between requests for a new page or saving your data. The time taken by entering data, either using cut/paste or keystrokes is counted as idle time. Q:  What is expected for the Task Book Bibliography section? A:  Please provide a listing of your publication record for research deriving from NASA funding support during the reporting period. This can include journal articles, including ones “in press”’; meeting abstracts; monographs and chapters; meeting papers; technical reports; significant media coverage; dissertations or theses from graduate students working on the project; patents. Instructions and examples of how to cite publications are available at the Bibliography section. Q:  Can I add images or equations to my report? A:  No, the Task Book Report does not accommodate images, equations, tables, or graphics. The intent of this report is to provide a synopsis of the research, in "layman’s language." Images, equations, tables, and graphics may be included in your Annual or Final Progress Report, which is uploaded to the Task Book database as a PDF and is available only to NASA Management. The PDF conversion site makes allowances for all formats that include images, equations, tables, graphics, etc. Q:  Is there a page limit for the required text? A:  The Task Book Report as shown on the screen or printed should not exceed 2-3 pages. The Task Progress section is preferred to be between 1,000 and 1,500 words (7-10 paragraphs) in length, although there is no limit. There is no page limit for the Annual or Final Progress Report PDF file. Q:  How do we report/include the students funded through my NASA grant? A:  Use the Student Record section of the Task Book report. When reporting on the number of students, provide data only on those students supported through the NASA grant. Q:  Can I view my report before I submit? A:  You have the option to view your report online at any time and you can also download and save the document as a Word file. This provides you the opportunity to review your report for any mistakes or omissions before submitting a final version. Q:  Can I make changes/additions after submission? A:  You may update your Task Book Report throughout the year, until the next report is due. Your Annual or Final Progress Report, however, becomes "final" and ineligible for editing upon three factors: You submit your report online Your NASA Center reviews and approves your report NASA HQ reviews and approves your report After these levels of approval make your report "final", a special request to your NASA Center and NASA HQ must be made to make changes/additions to your Annual/Final Report. In some cases, your report may not have been “approved?by NASA management, but once it has been submitted online, NASA personnel may have downloaded it for their use or placement in a permanent file. Thus, you must contact the Task Book Help Desk (taskbook@nasaprs.com, 202.479.9030 x417) if you wish to make changes in the Annual/Final Progress report PDF file. NOTE: If you have any questions that the FAQs do not address, please email or call the Task Book Help Desk: taskbook@nasaprs.com ; 202.479.9030 x 417 (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM Eastern Time). Revised October 2011