Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Maryland, College Park received a $496,748 Project Grant from NASA's Science Mission Directorate (CFDA 43.001) awarded on July 9, 2026, with a completion date of July 8, 2028. The award supports execution of a balanced science program grounded in discipline-specific guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, aligned with NASA administration priorities and congressional direction. As a key partner and enabler within the federal research enterprise, the University will participate in NASA's competitive science research initiatives across the agency's core domains, which encompass astrophysics research, biological and physical sciences, Earth system science, heliophysics research, planetary science, and lunar discovery and exploration.

The project leverages the University of Maryland's established research infrastructure and faculty expertise in space science and engineering disciplines to advance NASA's strategic objective of expanding human knowledge through new scientific discoveries. The award reflects NASA's typical Project Grant funding model, which constitutes 92 percent of Science Mission Directorate awards and supports investigator-led scientific research conducted through the agency's competitive solicitation process, including ROSES (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences) announcements. The University will deliver research services through its Office of Research Administration & Advancement, drawing on institutional resources and personnel capabilities to execute the proposed scientific work during the two-year performance period.