Congratulations for the following FY25 Early Career Initiative (ECI) Winners!

• Amanda Stark, LaRC: Modular Assembled Radiators for NEP VehicLes (MARVL)​
• Jorge Chong​, JSC​: Project TRON: The Next Generation of Optical Navigation​
• Holly Leopardi​, GSFC: Spaceflight Compatible Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock (OASIC)​
• Andrew O’Connor​, MSFC: Lunar Assembly and Service by Autonomous Robotics (LASAR)​
• Brian Holler​, GRC: ICE CHILL: Integrated Cryo-operable Electronics to Condition Hibernation for Improved Li-ion Longevity

The FY26 ECI Call for Proposals is anticipated to be released around November, 2024. Please check back then for more details.

The Early Career Initiative (ECI) Program provides the opportunity for NASA’s early career workforce to propose and develop innovative aerospace technology projects, engage with leading industry and academic partners, and develop the skills required to manage and transition transformative concepts into future NASA missions. All NASA early career civil servants (typically defined as service within 10 years of beginning a professional career) are eligible to serve as an ECI Principal Investigator or early career team member.

The FY25 awards are $2M over the two-year period of performance. Training courses will be provided for the Principal Investigators, Project Managers, and early career team members at no cost to the projects. Procurement funds up to $100K will be provided to projects selected for award to initiate external partnership agreements in advance of the October 1, 2024 project start date.

FY24 Early Career Initiative (ECI) Awards:

• Dan Sirbu, ARC: AstroPIC: Photonic Integrated Circuit High-Contrast Imaging for Space Astronomy
• Meghan Bush, GRC: MAI TAI: Mitigating Arc Inception via Transformational Array Instrumentation
• Peter Snapp, GSFC: Design of a Broad Utility, Visible-Blind, SiC, UV Spectrometer for Astrophysics, Planetary and Earth Science Applications
• Amy Felt, KSC: Advancement of Exploration Components for In-Space Servicing (AXCIS)

FY23 Early Career Initiative (ECI) Awards:

• Diana Gentry/ARC: Aerosol Rapid Analysis Combined Entry Probe/sonde Technology (AERACEPT)
• Beau Compton/GRC: Carbon Utilization Technology for Lunar and Atmospheric Systems (CUTLAS)
• Berhanu Bulcha/GSFC: Terahertz Heterodyne Spectrometer for In Situ Resource Utilization (THSiRU)
• Soumyo Dutta/LaRC: Aerocapture System as an Enabling Technology for Ice Giants Missions
• Thomas Teasley/MSFC: Closing of Critical Technology Gaps for High-Efficiency Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines

Congratulations to these highly competitive proposals!

POC: Jill Bauman