NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate Offers LuSTR Grant for Lunar Technology Development

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters has released a solicitation, titled Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) Opportunities, as an appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) umbrella NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2020 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2020), on July 15, 2020. The solicitation is available by opening the NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/, selecting “Solicitations,” then selecting “Open Solicitations,” and, finally, selecting “Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) Opportunities.”

The goal of LuSTR, part of the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII), is to accelerate the development of groundbreaking technologies that support and enable lunar surface activities to be conducted under Artemis – the core of NASA’s exploration and human spaceflight plans for the next decade. As part of the LSII portfolio, LuSTR solicits ideas from universities for the creation of requisite technologies for lunar surface exploration and to accelerate the technology readiness of key systems and components.

Our Nation’s universities couple research with education, encouraging a culture of innovation based on the discovery of knowledge. Universities are, therefore, ideally positioned to both conduct space technology development and diffuse newly developed knowledge and technologies into society at large through graduate students and industrial, government, and other partnerships. STMD investments in space technology research at U.S. universities promote the continued leadership of our universities as an international symbol of the country’s scientific innovation, engineering creativity, and technological skill. These investments also create, fortify, and nurture the talent base of highly skilled engineers, scientists, and technologists to improve America’s technological and economic competitiveness.

Only accredited U.S. universities are eligible to submit proposals. Teaming is permitted – see solicitation for complete eligibility requirements as well as teaming restrictions.

A Principal Investigator (see solicitation for restrictions) or Co-Investigator may participate in no more than two proposals in response to this appendix.

NASA encourages submission of LuSTR proposals on behalf of women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities.

The inaugural LuSTR Appendix exclusively seeks proposals that are responsive to two LSII focus areas: In Situ Resource Utilization and Sustainable Power. Under these focus areas, LuSTR solicits proposals in response to the following six topics:

• Advanced Technologies for the Extraction and Processing of Water from Regolith
• Determining the Spatial Distribution and Geotechnical Properties of Water-Bearing Regolith
• Flexible Power Distribution for Difficult-to-Reach and Mobile Applications
• Advanced, Radiation-Tolerant Power Electronics
• Low-Temperature Batteries
• Advanced Power System Control for Interoperability

NASA anticipates featuring additional topics, including those in other LSII focus areas, in future Appendix releases.

The financial and programmatic support for LuSTR comes from the Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate. The STRG Program within STMD is fostering the development of innovative technologies for advanced space systems. Awards are planned to start in May 2021. NASA plans to make up to 10 awards as a result of this LuSTR solicitation. NASA reserves the right to make no awards under this solicitation or exceed 10, subject to the receipt of meritorious proposals and the availability of funds.

All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES or through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) by an authorized organizational representative. Notices of Intent (strongly encouraged) are due by August 12, 2020, with proposals due on or before September 9, 2020, 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(s), 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 solicitation mailbox, hq-LuSTR@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.