MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro)
U.S. National Science Foundation · Other Federal · 26-522
Source: Grants.gov · View original posting ↗
- AwardWhat a single award can be worth — the funder's published per-award amount or floor–ceiling range.
- $100M total
- DeadlineFinal application due date.
- Nov 16, 2026
- Letter of intentDue date for the letter of intent (a short pre-application some funders require or request before the full proposal).
- —
- MechanismNIH activity code — the grant type (R01 research project, R21 exploratory, K series career development, F series fellowship, …).
- —
- DurationMaximum project period for a single award.
- —
- Expected awardsHow many awards the funder anticipates making under this opportunity.
- —
- Funding cycleHow often the program accepts applications (annual, multiple cycles per year, rolling, or one-time).
- Unknown
- Open dateWhen applications open (or opened).
- Aug 17, 2026
- Total fundingThe overall pool the funder expects to commit across ALL awards under this opportunity — not what one project receives.
- $100M total
- Clinical trialWhether proposed projects must, may, or must not include a clinical trial.
- Unspecified
Description
The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (NSF MPS) supports multiple research programs in the astronomical sciences. NSF MPS funds foundational astronomical sciences research and instrumentation focused on exploring space and advancing fundamental understanding of the universe. The programs covered by this funding opportunity are: Astronomical Sciences Core Research Astronomical Sciences Technology & Instrumentation Astronomical Sciences Innovations Research supported by these programs is essential for ongoing discovery in a range of fields. The programs provide a strong scientific foundation for America's capabilities in multiple areas: predicting solar storms, discovering potentially habitable planets in other solar systems, understanding the physical workings of extreme astrophysical objects like black holes, and more. NSF MPS is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research. Proposals need not promise a near-term product, deployment, or commercial outcome, nor need they address later-stage development to be competitive.