# NASA Awards $12 Million M-STAR Grants

On October 15, 2026, NASA selected 12 U.S. institutions for **$12 million** in awards through its MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR) initiative, with each institution eligible to receive up to $1 million. The awards fund research and technology development for Moon, Mars, and deep-space missions while building institutional research capacity and the aerospace workforce. NASA announced awards, not an open solicitation or a new contractor procurement.

- The awardees include California State University, Sacramento; the University of Central Florida; and the University of Houston, among others. Organizations seeking NASA research collaborations can use the awardee institutions and mission focus areas to identify potential academic partners.
- For contractors, the announcement signals NASA-funded activity in space technology research and workforce development, but does not present a current bid opportunity. Companies should distinguish these institutional awards from procurements seeking contractor proposals.
- The program connects institutional research capacity with technology needs for long-duration lunar and future Mars missions, which may be relevant to firms supporting NASA research and development.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 15, 2026

### Government Entities
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- NASA Office of STEM Engagement
- NASA Research and Technology Mission Directorate

### Vendors
- California State University, Sacramento (awardee)
- University of Central Florida (awardee)
- University of Hawaii at Manoa (awardee)
- University of Houston (awardee)
- University of Texas, San Antonio (awardee)

### Key Quotes
> NASA investments in our Nation’s research institutions create real opportunities for students and faculty to build skills, knowledge, and infrastructure, while helping NASA close technology gaps for long-duration operations on the Moon and eventually, Mars.
> — Alicia Baturoni Cortez, MUREP program manager

### Sources
- [NASA Awards Enable Research, Technology to Build Future Workforce - NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-awards-enable-research-technology-to-build-future-workforce/) - NASA