Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Smithsonian Institution, operating as the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), received a $113,364 Project Grant from NASA's Science Mission Directorate (CFDA 43.001) awarded on May 6, 2026, with a completion date of May 5, 2027. Under this award, SAO is executing a balanced science program aligned with discipline-specific guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, while serving as a key partner and enabler for the agency's research objectives. The funding supports SAO's participation in NASA's Science Mission Directorate initiatives, leveraging the organization's specialized capabilities in space science research infrastructure, astrophysical instrumentation, and scientific database management.

Based on SAO's established research portfolio and federal funding profile, this award likely supports core research activities within one or more of NASA SMD's primary research domains—including astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, or solar physics—or contributes to the organization's critical role in managing research data systems and coordinating multi-institutional scientific collaborations. SAO's demonstrated expertise in areas such as the Astrophysics Data System (ADS), exoplanet follow-up coordination, and solar physics instrumentation positions this grant within NASA's broader strategy to expand scientific knowledge through competitive, peer-reviewed research conducted from Cambridge, Massachusetts.