LaSPACE LURA Program

To be eligible for the LaSPACE LURA Program, applicants must: be a U.S. citizen; be currently be enrolled at a LaSPACE college/university (alternatively, the applicant can be in their senior year of high school, or a recent high school graduate, and must have applied for admission to a LaSPACE member college or university); pursue their undergraduate degree on a full-time basis; and the current or prospective field of study of an applicant must be in a STEM discipline, with a space- or aerospace-related program. The student applicant must be able to devote 10-20 hours per week to the project. The proposal must include a project plan written with the PI that details all the tasks and deliverables to be completed by the student, and a final report, also jointly written, must be produced with results that match the submitted project plan. The intent of the LURA program is to supplement and enhance the undergraduate academic curriculum by providing the science/engineering student with hands-on, mentored research experience relevant to space sciences. Awards are for $4500 with no match requirement. Most of the funds (≥$3.5k) are to be distributed directly to the student. It is recommended that travel funds be budgeted for the student to attend at least one professional meeting; including the annual LaSPACE Council Meeting Student Poster Session held in the early fall each year. No more than $1k can be used for travel, materials, and supplies. Funding Opportunity Release Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026. Proposal Due Date: Monday, June 15, 2026. Anticipated Award Announcements: July 2026. Award Period of Performance: 08/15/2026 – 05/31/2027.