Space Technology Research Institutes
Applications close Nov 3, 2026
Bring this opportunity into GrantsManager
Save it to your pipeline in one click: track the deadline, build the budget, and manage the proposal from draft to award. New here? You'll set up your account in a moment and this opportunity will be waiting.
- Agency
- Benjamin J Goodman Senior Scientist
- Opportunity number
- NNH26ZTR001N-26STRI-B3
- Posted
- Oct 5, 2026
- Closes
- Nov 3, 2026
- Award ceiling
- $13,000,000
- Cost sharing required
- false
About this opportunity
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released the solicitation “Space Technology Research Institutes (STRI26),” as an appendix to the Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD) umbrella NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2026 (SpaceTech REDDI 2026).”. The solicitation is available by opening the NSPIRES homepage at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/, selecting “Open” under "Solicitations," and searching "Space Technology Research Institutes (STRI26)” under Keywords, or directly via https://solicitation.nasaprs.com/NNH26ZTR001N-26STRI_B3.
Through STRI26, Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program within RTMD solicits proposals from U.S. institutions of higher education (IHEs) for IHE-led, early-stage, sustained, multidisciplinary space-technology research focused in strategic areas for transformative impact to future NASA and other civil-space applications. Proposals are sought on specific space technologies that are currently at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
This Appendix exclusively seeks proposals that are responsive to the topic featured in the Appendix: Enabling Future Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) Design Capabilities. The overarching goal of this topic is to advance RDRE system-level performance beyond the state of the art for traditional chemical rocket engines operating under the same system constraints.
Only U.S. IHEs are eligible to submit proposals to this Appendix. The Principal Investigator (PI) must be, as their primary appointment, a faculty member at the lead IHE. Teaming among U.S. IHEs is required, with a minimum of three participant IHEs. Teaming with industry and non-profit entities is permitted., subject to the restrictions described in the solicitation.
The maximum award duration is five years and the maximum amount $13M total over the five-year period. Awards are planned to start in May 2027. NASA plans to make one award as a result of this STRI solicitation, subject to the receipt of meritorious proposals and the availability of funds. The actual number of awards will depend on the quality of the proposals received; NASA reserves the right to make no awards under this solicitation.
All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative. Proposals are being solicited via a two-step process where preliminary proposals are mandatory and only those invited may submit a full proposal. Mandatory preliminary proposals are due on or before November 3, 2026, 5 pm Eastern, and the target deadline for invited full proposals is January 21, 2027, 5 pm Eastern. Detailed submission instructions and due dates are provided in the solicitation. Potential proposers and their proposing organizations are urged to familiarize themselves with the submission system, ensure they are registered in NSPIRES, and submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the deadline.
Technical and programmatic comments and questions may be addressed by email to the Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive at hq-stmd-stri@mail.nasa.gov. Responses to inquiries will be answered by email and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents located on the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.
Who can apply
See "Description" below and Full Announcement for eligibility requirements.
How to apply
- 1Register your organization
Applications are submitted by your institution, not individuals. Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration (with a UEI) and a Grants.gov account with an Authorized Organization Representative.
- 2Read the full notice
Open the official notice for the complete eligibility rules, review criteria, page limits, and required forms. Applications close Nov 3, 2026.
- 3Download the application package
From the Grants.gov opportunity page, download the package (or apply via your agency's system where required) and prepare each component.
- 4Build and submit
Prepare the budget and narrative, route for institutional sign-off, and submit before the deadline: GrantsManager can track every step for you.
Agency contact: Benjamin J Goodman Senior Scientist · hq-stmd-stri@mail.nasa.gov
Details are pulled from Grants.gov and can change, always confirm against the official notice. GrantsManager isn't affiliated with these agencies.
Resources for applying
All NASA grants and resources- NSPIRES guide
How to submit a NASA proposal through NSPIRES: individual and organization registration, ROSES program elements, notices of intent and Step-1 proposals, team member confirmations, and submission.
- Proposal submission checklist
A pre-submission checklist for research proposals: solicitation review, internal routing, budget, compliance, and sponsor-system steps to hit the deadline cleanly.
- Direct vs. indirect costs
The difference between direct and indirect costs on research grants, with examples of each, the gray areas like administrative salaries, and how indirect costs are calculated from your F&A rate.
- Reading your Notice of Award
The parts of a Notice of Award that determine what you can spend, when, and what needs prior approval, plus the terms that cause disallowed costs if missed.
- Grant Budget Template
A five-year research grant budget in Excel that calculates fringe, the NIH salary cap, the MTDC base, and F&A automatically.
- Budget Justification Template
A free budget justification (budget narrative) template for research grants, organized by the federal R&R budget categories, with example language for personnel, fringe, equipment, travel, other direct costs, subawards, and F&A.
- Grant Letter of Intent Template
A free grant letter of intent (LOI) template with two versions: the short NIH letter of intent requested in many funding opportunities, and a foundation LOI that pitches the project before a full proposal.
- Letter of Support Template for Grant Applications
A free letter of support template for NIH and other research grant applications, with collaborator and consultant versions, what NIH asks letters to include, and how NIH's move to letters of collaboration affects them.
- F&A & MTDC calculator
Build the Modified Total Direct Cost base, apply your F&A rate, and see total direct costs, indirect costs, and the full award total, with the usual MTDC exclusions handled.
- Grant burn rate
Compare the share of a grant spent and encumbered with the share of the award period elapsed, see the average monthly burn, the monthly spend needed to finish on budget, and the projected run-out date.
- NASA NSPIRES
NASA proposal submission for ROSES and other solicitations.
Manage this from draft to award
Start free: track the deadline, budget, and submission in one place.