Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation for the Astronomical Sciences
NSF funds individual or collaborative R&D to develop new ground-based astronomy and astrophysics technologies, concepts, software, and instruments that enable otherwise difficult or impossible observations.
⚑ Focused on ground-based astronomy/astrophysics instrumentation and technology development, not astronomy observation time or general science research. · High technical risk is explicitly allowed. · Annual PI meeting expected for funded projects.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 90 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| IPPRA | 40 partial | outside portfolio topics; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research |
Description
The Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation for the Astronomical Sciences (ATI) program provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for the development of new technologies and instrumentation for use in ground-based astronomy and astrophysics.The program supports achieving the science objectives of the Division of Astronomical Sciences. The development of innovative, potentially transformative, technologies and instruments are sought, even at high technical risk.Supported categories include (but are not limited to):advanced technology development, concept feasibility studies, and specialized instrumentation to enable new observations that are difficult or impossible to obtain with existing means.Proposals may include hardware and/or software development and/or analysis to enable new types of astronomical observations. Access to the ATI supported technology and instrumentation development efforts by the US astronomical community is viewed as an important metric of success. An annual Principal Investigators meeting is planned to disseminate information between the funded research efforts.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: U.S. National Science Foundation <grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · National Science Foundation conventions SEE AN NSF EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — National Science Foundation's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.