USRA Receives $193 Million Award for Science and Engineering Research

Grant brings together universities and businesses to develop new tools and technologies.

NASA has awarded the NASA Academic Mission Services (NAMS) contract to the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) “to deliver new concepts, tools and technologies related to aeronautics, science and aeroflightdynamics,” according to a statement from USRA. The NAMS contract is a five-year agreement for a $193 million award.

The USRA represents a team of universities and experts, including the California State University System and small businesses throughout the nation, to partner with AMES to find solutions to problems within the fields of Earth and space science, aeronautics and engineering. “Specifically, the team will focus on tasks to assist Ames with understanding navigation of unpiloted aircraft systems, air traffic management, autonomous systems, aeroacoustics, synthetic biology, quantum computing and small spacecraft development.”

The program will be managed from NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, CA and USRA’s office in Mountain View, CA.

"Achieving NASA's goals for NAMS requires a partner capable of managing cutting-edge research and development programs, connecting them to NASA missions and long-term objectives, and interacting seamlessly with the university research community,” said Dr. Jeffrey A. Isaacson, USRA president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “We believe that USRA is ideally suited to these tasks, and we stand ready to deliver."

About the Author

Sri Ravipati is Web producer for THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

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