Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Illinois received a $160,075 Project Grant award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the Science program (CFDA 43.001) to execute a balanced science program aligned with guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The award, issued on February 9, 2026, with a completion date of February 8, 2029, supports the university's role as a key partner and enabler in NASA's science mission objectives. The research activities will be conducted at the university's Urbana, Illinois facility and are expected to contribute to NASA's strategic goal of expanding human knowledge through new scientific discoveries across one or more scientific disciplines, such as astrophysics, biological and physical sciences, Earth science, heliophysics, or planetary science.

The project falls within NASA's established evaluation framework, which emphasizes scientific quality, technical approach, personnel qualifications, and available resources. As a major research institution with demonstrated federal contracting experience across multiple scientific and technological domains, the University of Illinois will deliver research outputs consistent with NASA's Science Mission Directorate priorities, utilizing theoretical modeling, data analysis, laboratory experiments, or field studies as applicable to the specific research objectives outlined in the funded proposal.