NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium

About NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium

The Kentucky Space Grant Consortium provides opportunities in aerospace-related research and education through NASA’s National Space Grant College & Fellowship Program for Kentucky colleges, universities, community colleges, non-profits, and industry affiliates.

Current Funding Opportunities:
RFP-24-001: NASA KY Space Grant Consortium Programs 2024 (pdf) CLOSED


NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium
A NASA Higher Education program supporting STEM areas of interest to NASA and Kentucky, Space Grant promotes networking and cooperation among education, industry, and local, state, and federal government. Recruitment and training of US citizens, especially women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities, for careers in aerospace science and technology is a Space Grant national priority.
NASA-KY-Awards

NASA KY FAQ, NASA Contacts & more:

NASA KY FAQ
NASA KY Space Grant Program Chart (pdf)
Recent NASA KY Projects 2016-2022 (pdf)
FY24 NASA Research Focus Areas (pdf)
NASA Technology Taxonomy
NASA STEM Program Design
NASA STEM Engagement
NASA Internships
National Space Grant Foundation

Kentucky Space Grant Consortium supports faculty, students and outreach through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process with multiple program offerings (pdf):

  • GF – Graduate Fellowships
  • REU – Research Experience for Undergraduates
  • TP – Team Projects
  • RIA – Faculty Research Initiation Awards
  • MG – Mini-Grants
  • EMG – Enhanced Mini-Grants

Please see the most recent RFP (above) for full program descriptions.

Eligibility for Space Grant Awards:

Proposals will be accepted from Kentucky Space Grant Consortium Affiliate Institutions as listed on this page. US citizenship is required for students receiving fellowship support (GF, REU). Reporting on current and prior awards must be up to date to be eligible for funding.

Numbers of Awards:

Numbers of awards in each category are determined by the sizes of the individual awards and available program funding levels.

Review Process:

NASA Kentucky Space Grant Affiliate Representatives and external content specialists will review the proposals and rate the technical content as Definitely Fund, Fund if Possible or Do Not Fund (see FAQ for review criteria). Proposals will also be reviewed for budget compliance and programmatic alignment by NASA KY staff. As a panel, the reviewers will recommend proposals for funding to the NASA KY Director. Proposals will be rated, ranked and funded up to the budgeted amount available for each program. Past reporting and accomplishments will be considered in evaluation of proposals.

Reporting Requirements:

NASA KY will provide Principal Investigators (PIs) with a reporting template for each award. PIs are required to report research productivity and students supported via: 1) Progress reports during the award period, 2) Final Report within 30 days of the end of the award, and 3) Post-award annual update 1 year after project completion. Reporting must be current in order for NASA KY to meet NASA and state annual report cycles. Project reports should be submitted to nasa@uky.edu.

Opportunities for Team Projects:

Current NASA Challenge Opportunities
NASA Student Launch Competition
NASA Robotic Mining Competition
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
NASA BIG IDEA Challenge
NASA Micro-G NEXT Challenges
NASA/NIA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concept-Academic Linkage (RASC-AL)
NASA/NIA FLOATING DRAGON Balloon Challenge
NIA Higher Ed Competitions and Programs
RockOn! Sounding Rocket Workshop
Space Grant Midwest High-Power Rocketry Competition
High Altitude Student Platform (HASP)
AIAA Student Design/Build /Fly Competition
AUVSI Robonation Competitions
Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Competition

Become an Affiliate

Affiliate Members

Academic:

Asbury University
Dr. Duk Lee

Ashland Community and Technical College
Mr. Mark Riggs

Bellarmine University
Dr. Akhtar Mahmood

Berea College
Dr. Wei Wu

Bluegrass Community and Technical College
Ms. Tracy Knowles

Centre College
Dr. Jim Kelly

Eastern Kentucky University
Dr. Anthony Blose

Hopkinsville Community College
Ms. Sherry McCormack

Kentucky State University
tbd

Morehead State University
Dr. Tom Pannuti

Murray State University
Dr. Aleck Leedy

Northern Kentucky University
Dr. Nathan De Lee

Owensboro Community and Technical College
Mr. Shawn Payne

Thomas More University
Dr. Wes Ryle

University of Kentucky
Dr. Janet Lumpp

University of Louisville
Dr. John Kielkopf

West Kentucky Community and Technical College / Challenger Center
Ms. Mellisa Duncan

Western Kentucky University
Dr. Mike Carini

Science Center / STEM ED:

Aviation Museum of Kentucky
Mr. Ed Murphy

Challenger Learning Center of KY
Mr. Tom Cravens

Kentucky FIRST Robotics
Ms. Kelli Gowan

Living Arts and Science Center
tbd

Kentucky Science Center / Challenger Learning Center
Ms. Veronica Greenwell

SKy Science Festival, Inc.
Dr. Richard Gelderman

Industry:

Faradine Systems
Mr. Jason Rexroat

Innoviator, LLC
Mr. Alan Beaven

Kentucky Science & Technology Corp
Mr. Terry Samuel

Million Concepts
Mr. Chase Million

Space Tango
Mr. Twyman Clements

 

Contact Us

NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium and EPSCoR Programs

Dr. Alexandre Martin, Director

University of Kentucky College of Engineering
151 R.G. Anderson Bldg (RGAN)
Lexington, KY 40506-0503

Phone: 859-218-NASA (218-6272)
E-mail: nasa@uky.edu

Director Emeritus:
Dr. Suzanne W. Smith

Associate Director:
Jacob Owen   859-323-4542

Accounts Manager:
Angela Back   859-323-4543