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Nisha Lamichhane Aryal Grantor

Lunar Payload Design Challenge

The U.S. Department of State's U.S. Mission to the UAE announces an open competition to implement the Lunar Payload Design Challenge, a program that brings together U.S. and UAE…

Agency
Nisha Lamichhane Aryal Grantor
Deadline
Jul 15, 2026 (3 days left)
Award ceiling
$300,000
Award floor
$200,000
Total program funding
$300,000
Expected awards
1
Opportunity #
PDS-UAE-02-FY2026
CFDA
19.040
Cost sharing
Not required
Science and Technology and other Research and DevelopmentOthers (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

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About this opportunity

The U.S. Department of State's U.S. Mission to the UAE announces an open competition to implement the Lunar Payload Design Challenge, a program that brings together U.S. and UAE graduate students in a hands-on, team-based initiative to develop technologies relevant to future lunar missions.

The program builds advanced technical and collaborative skills while fostering partnerships between universities, industry, and research institutions. The initiative strengthens U.S.-UAE cooperation in space innovation, highlights U.S. leadership in lunar exploration, and creates pathways for continued collaboration, research advancement, and potential mission integration.

This program directly advances U.S. foreign policy priorities under the "Make America More Prosperous" pillar by expanding partnerships in high-growth sectors of the space economy and reinforcing the strength, competitiveness, and collaborative nature of the U.S.

innovation ecosystem, and advances Goal 2 of the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs: Securing opportunities to advance U.S. commercial and strategic interests. Project Background: The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintain a strong and growing partnership in science, technology, and innovation, including in the space sector.

As the UAE continues to invest in advanced space capabilities, including lunar exploration, there is a strategic opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation by fostering collaboration among emerging leaders in aerospace engineering, robotics, and related fields.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks to strengthen U.S.-UAE collaboration by supporting joint, applied research and development efforts focused on lunar exploration technologies.

Who can apply

•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…

How to apply

Applications for federal grants are submitted through grants.gov under opportunity number PDS-UAE-02-FY2026. Before you start, confirm your organization's eligibility, register in SAM.gov if you haven't already, and note the response deadline of Jul 15, 2026. AutoGrantHunter helps you decide whether this opportunity is worth pursuing before you invest in a full application.

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