The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center awarded $742,486 to the Planetary Science Institute on June 2, 2026, under the Science program (CFDA 43.001) to execute a balanced science program based on discipline-specific guidance from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine and administration priorities and direction from Congress, positioning the recipient as a key partner and enabler in the agency's science mission.
The Planetary Science Institute, a nonprofit research organization headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, serves as the ultimate recipient and executes planetary science research, data analysis, theoretical modeling, and mission support services. The award carries a period of performance through June 1, 2029, with place of performance in Tucson, Arizona.
The Science Mission Directorate sponsors research across multiple domains including planetary science research to determine the content, origin and evolution of the solar system and potential for life beyond Earth; astrophysics research to explore the universe and its origin and evolution; heliophysics research on the Sun and its interactions with the Earth and Solar System; Earth science research addressing the Earth system; biological and physical sciences research on space-based environments; and lunar discovery and exploration to support instrument development and investigations on or near the lunar surface. Evaluation criteria for awards under this program include intrinsic scientific merit, relevance to NASA's strategic mission, and cost reasonableness.