Lunar Payload Design Challenge
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates, through the U.S. Department of State, is seeking a cooperative agreement to run the Lunar Payload Design Challenge, a program that supports U.S.-UAE collaboration in lunar exploration and space innovation. The project will bring together graduate students from the United States and the UAE in a hands-on, team-based effort to design payload concepts, instruments, and related technologies for future lunar missions, with partnerships across universities, industry, and research institutions. It is aimed at STEM graduate students and institutions with existing space-related capabilities, and it emphasizes applied problem-solving, technical collaboration, and the development of viable concepts with potential relevance to NASA or partner mission architectures. Applications are due July 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM UAE time, with submission accepted either by email to UAEPASGrants@state.gov or through Grants.gov, and the anticipated funding is $200,000 to $300,000 for one award with no cost-sharing requirement.
Eligible Applicants
•Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations•Public and private educational institutions (U.S. and foreign)•Public International Organizations •For-profit entities, even those that may fall into the categories listed above, are not eligible to apply for this NOFO. Organizations may sub-contract with other entities, but only one nonprofit, non-governmental entity can be the prime recipient of the award. When sub-contracting with other entities, the responsibilities of each entity must be clearly defined in the proposal. For more information on the difference between sub-contract and sub-recipient, please refer to 2 CFR 200.331.