The goal of this project is to develop an advanced auroral conductance model for space weather applications and understand its influence on auroral ionospheric electrodynamics. Due to its complex…

The Catholic University of America has been awarded a $54,635 research grant effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, to develop an advanced auroral conductance model for space weather applications. The project aims to understand how auroral conductance influences auroral ionospheric electrodynamics through the complex interplay between solar wind and magnetosphere phenomena. This civilian research grant, funded through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Shared Services Center, represents work to be performed in Washington, D.C., and carries no set-aside designation, indicating competitive procurement. The award reflects CUA's established role as a major research partner for NASA's space science initiatives, with the institution maintaining a robust portfolio of heliophysics and space weather research grants ranging up to $1.3 million.

Catholic University of America, a private research institution headquartered in Washington, D.C., serves as the prime contractor with direct performance responsibility. CUA's substantial federal research portfolio spans multiple agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense, with particular strength in space physics, atmospheric sciences, and engineering research. The university also maintains significant indefinite-delivery vehicles with the Department of the Navy, including a $968,000 blanket purchase agreement for ocean acoustics services and a $147 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract under the Naval Community College Partnerships master vehicle, positioning CUA as a key educational and research services provider across civilian and defense federal agencies.

The goal of this project is to develop an advanced auroral conductance model for space weather applications and understand its influence on auroral ionospheric electrodynamics. Due to its complex interplay with the solar wind (SW) and magnetosphere