NASA announced on October 15, 2026, that it selected 12 U.S. institutions to receive a total of $12 million for academic research and technology development. The funding supports agency priorities for exploring the Moon, Mars, and deep space.
The M-STAR Initiative
The funding is distributed through NASA's Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Space Technology Artemis Research initiative. Selected institutions will each receive up to $1 million to grow scientific and engineering capabilities, enhance faculty and student engagement, and expand their ability to compete for federal and commercial research awards.
Alicia Baturoni Cortez, MUREP program manager in the agency's Office of STEM Engagement, said that NASA investments create opportunities for students and faculty to build skills, knowledge, and infrastructure while helping close technology gaps for long-duration operations.
Selected Institutions and Research Projects
The 12 awarded institutions are working on diverse projects spanning robotics, AI, materials science, and propulsion. California State University, Sacramento received funding for adaptive vision-language-action models for multi-robot collaboration, while Kean University focuses on integrating AI terrain understanding with robust control for autonomous path planning.
Other awarded projects include aerothermal simulation at the University of Central Florida, radiation instrumentation at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, rover-carried deployables at the University of Houston, and cryogenic regolith characterization at the University of Texas, San Antonio. Additional recipients include Virginia Commonwealth University, Shaw University, Howard University, Prairie View A&M University, the University of New Mexico, and Fayetteville State University.
Key facts and where they come from
- NASA selected 12 U.S. institutions to receive $12 million for research and technology development.
NASA has selected 12 U.S. institutions to receive $12 million to accelerate academic research and technology development in support of the agency’s priorities for exploring the Moon, Mars, and deep space.
- Institutions will receive up to $1 million each through the M-STAR initiative.
Through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Space Technology Artemis Research (M‑STAR) initiative, selected institutions will each receive up to $1 million…
- The announcement was published on October 15, 2026.
Oct 15, 2026