Space Technology Research Institutes

Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program’s Space Technology Research Institutes (STRI) Appendix solicits proposals from U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs) for IHEled, early-stage, sustained, multidisciplinary space-technology research focused in strategic areas for transformative impact to future NASA and other civil-space applications. Proposed efforts are solicited as a research-institute construct, which enables coordination of experts from a wide range of fields and organizations in a single distributed research structure. The institute approach facilitates a more focused and coordinated set of research and development (R&D) efforts than typically arise from a series of separate solicitations and individual research grants. Because the research institute maintains its focus for several years, more effective and substantial research progress is envisioned for the selected high-priority research area identified in this Appendix. For research areas of overlapping interest, this approach could significantly increase partnerships between NASA, other government agencies, industry, and academia, enabling greater progress and benefit for all involved. Proposals are sought on specific space technologies that are currently at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).