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NASA Solicitation for Early Stage Space Technology Research Grants (ESI26)

NASA Headquarters is seeking innovative research proposals from U.S. institutions of higher education under the Early Stage Innovations (ESI26) program, part of the Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2026 (SpaceTech REDDI 2026) initiative. - Government Buyer: - NASA Headquarters - Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program, Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD) - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors are named; opportunity is open to U.S. academic institutions - Products/Services Requested: - Research proposals for early-stage space technology at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) - Eight targeted research topics: - Advanced computational fluid dynamics for hypersonic flows - Autonomous maintenance and manufacturing for lunar and Martian environments - Computational techniques for oxidation-resistant refractory alloys - Entry-induced fracture modeling of thermal protection materials - Experimental characterization of supersonic retropropulsion flows - Adaptive filtering for autonomous spacecraft navigation - Large surface area electrospray thrusters - Robotic construction for surface power grids on the Moon and Mars - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Eligibility limited to U.S. institutions of higher education - Principal investigators must be tenured or tenure-track faculty - Proposals must be submitted electronically via NSPIRES - Two-step submission process: mandatory preliminary proposal, then invited full proposal - Approximately 24 awards anticipated, each with a minimum value of $750,000

Description

NASA Headquarters has released the Early Stage Innovations (ESI26) solicitation as part of the Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2026 (SpaceTech REDDI 2026) NASA Research Announcement. The solicitation seeks proposals from U.S. institutions of higher education for innovative, early-stage space technology research at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) that address civil-space needs. Topics include computational fluid dynamics, autonomous maintenance for lunar and Martian environments, refractory alloys, thermal protection materials, supersonic retropropulsion, autonomous spacecraft navigation, electrospray thrusters, and robotic construction for surface power grids. Approximately 24 awards are expected, with funding starting in June 2027 and a minimum award amount of $750,000. Proposals must be submitted electronically via NSPIRES by August 13, 2026 (preliminary) and December 16, 2026 (full).

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