University Research Initiatives - Space
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is researching, analyzing, and developing technology through the University Research Initiatives PE 0601103SF (Project 610002) to support Guardians across Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation. The effects of our efforts will ensure that future Science & Technology and Test & Evaluation have the necessary experimentation and analytic results for future USSF R&D activities. This program supports defense-related basic research in a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines relevant to maintaining U.S. military technology superiority. Research topics include, but are not limited to, revolutionary and high priority technologies critical to the five core technical competencies of the United States Space Force: Space Security; Combat Power Projection; Space Mobility and Logistics; Information Mobility; and Space Domain Awareness. The program also enhances and promotes the education of U.S. scientists and engineers in disciplines critical to maintaining, advancing, and enabling future U.S. defense technologies. This program assists universities in establishing superior instrumentation capabilities needed to improve the quality of defense-related research and education. A fundamental component of this program is the recognition that future technologies and technology exploitations require highly coordinated and concerted multi- and interdisciplinary efforts. In order to manage, execute, and deliver Science and Technology (S&T) capabilities, this program element may include: necessary civilian pay expenses; expenses to support the operation and maintenance of facilities; as well as expenses related to travel, supplies, IT hardware, software and support, administrative contractor services, etc. Funds in this program element may be used to investigate specified science advancements primarily targeted to challenges in the space domain and multi-domain research with space-domain application. This program falls within the S&T and Test & Evaluation (T&E) mission area which provides the S&T initiatives, demonstrations, experiments, and studies towards developing next-generation space capabilities. The T&E mission area provides all efforts required to establish and operate the test infrastructure for USSF capabilities.
- Continue to fund competitive research grants at U.S. universities that focus on significantly expanding the basic knowledge of Department of the Air Force-relevant science and technology areas critical to the U.S. Space Force core technical competencies. - Continue to focus on complex research efforts not normally achievable in smaller…
Read the FY2027 plan →FY2027 planned work - Continue to award grants on a competitive basis under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) to U.S. universities to acquire state-of-the-art, high technology instrumentation and infrastructure to enhance U.S. Space Force research and educational capabilities.
FY2026 to FY2027 change FY 2027 increased compared to FY 2026 by $0.430 million due to minor programmatic adjustments to the DAF Science and Technology portfolio.
FY2026 plans — current year - Award grants on a competitive basis under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) to U.S. universities to acquire state-of-the-art, high technology instrumentation and infrastructure to enhance U.S. Space Force research and educational capabilities.