Senior Design and NASA Competitions

Senior Design and NASA Competitions is sponsored by NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium. The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium supports senior design projects and student teams participating in NASA-sponsored competitions, as well as student organization projects related to space science, technology, engineering, and exploration.

Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions – Florida Space Grant Consortium Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions 2026-27 SENIOR DESIGN PROJECTS AND NASA COMPETITIONS The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium will be supporting senior design projects (up to $750 for each project), NASA Competition participation (up to $2000) and other competitions for the 2026-27 Academic Year. Projects will be awarded on a first-come basis.

Examples of NASA competitions are NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge Robotic Mining Competition University Student Launch Initiative 2025-26 Human Lander Challenge 2026 RASC-AL Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkage Request for funding for both senior design projects and NASA competitions should be submitted by a faculty advisor in a Florida university or College, affiliated with FSGC , through that institution’s Sponsored Research Office.

Proposals not submitted through the affiliate institution’s Sponsored Research Office will not be accepted. The funds can be utilized only for purchase of materials and supplies related to the project. If the funds are to be used for travel reimbursement, only students who are US citizens are eligible for travel reimbursement through the FSGC award funds.

Work and/or student involvement in the project should commence only AFTER receipt of signed award documents from Univ. of Central Florida, acting as fiscal agents of NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium.

Please note that any student team must have a minimum of 2 students The request should include student-project-proposal-cover-page sheet (both pages) a brief description of the project, its relevance to NASA (if applicable), how the award funds and/or match funds (where applicable) will be spent a Spreadsheet listing the following details of each student participating in the project.

Citizenship (US or non-US), Status (senior, junior etc), Major ( physics, electric engineering, etc), Race (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White) Ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino, Not Hispanic of Latino) If you do not want to send me individual information, just include collective numbers as follows # American Indian or Alaska Native # of students with disabilities.

# of students who are veterans Here is some information about race and ethnicity categories American Indian or Alaska Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam. Black or African American: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Terms such as “Haitian” or “Negro” can be used in addition to “Black or African American”.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa. Hispanic or Latino: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

The term, “Spanish origin”, can be used in addition to “Hispanic or Latino”. Since FSGC is a Training Grant, this demographic and other information is required for onward submission to NASA HQ as part of our annual report. We do not send individual information.

All the information is aggregated and then compiled into our annual report to NASA. NASA in turn uses this information to present Space Grant program highlights to Congressional delegates in order to secure future years funding for the National Space Grant program through the NASA Education Office. Indirect cost is determined as per Clause 4.

4 of the signed Master Agreements between UCF, acting on behalf of FSGC and the awardee institutio n. Support for these projects are solely from the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium. The indirect cost rate for FSGC programs is 10%, except for fellowships, scholarships, and internships.

Maximum possible funding request for NASA competitions is limited to $2000. Any funding request exceeding $2000 will be entertained, if funds are available. Please email your signed proposal to: Jaydeep Mukherjee (jaydeep.

mukherjee@ucf. edu) NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium 12354 Research Parkway, Room 218 Email: jaydeep. mukherjee@ucf.

edu For technical information, please contact Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee at jaydeep. mukherjee@ucf.

edu Senior Design Projects and Competitions supported in 2024-25 Research and Education- Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operational Robot or RE-RASSOR (2 teams) – USF DSJRT: The Decameter Solar and Jovian Radio Telescope -UCF Autonomous Parachute Recovery Device – FAU University Student Launch Initiative – FSU-FAMU List of FSI Senior Design Projects (17 teams) – UCF, USF, and Florida Poly Contact Instrument for Regolith Collection and Evaluation (CIRCE) 2025 Micro-g NExT NASA Contest – USF NASA Micro-g NExT Prototype Test Week – ERAU NASA Microgravity Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams (Micro-g NExT) Challenge 2024-2025 – Florida Poly ERAU’s Lunabotics Team (Team Moonwalkers) – ERAU NASA 2025 Student Launch Swamp Launch Rocket – UF Florida Rocket Lab Sparrow Engine and Hopper Flight Vehicle – UF Senior Design Projects and Competitions supported in 2019-20 Earth-Based Gravity Machine (3 teams) – UCF Robinson Observatory Restoration Project – UCF 3D Printed Aircraft – FSU Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) Drones – FAU Mars Surface Stay Simulator – FAU Triple Function Aerodynamic Actuation System (TFAAS) – UCF Robotic Mining Competition – FIT NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge – FSU NASA SUITS Design Challenge – ERAU International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) – UCF 4th Annual Spaceport America Cup – Miami Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2018-19 High Altitude /Mach Rocket Nosecone – Florida Institute of Technology University Student Launch Initiative – Florida State University SAE Aero Design and 3D Printed Aircraft – Florida State University Robotic Mining Competition (ERAU, FSU, and FIT) International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) – UCF NASA Micro-g NExT 2019 Challenge – ERAU Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2017-18 UAV-based Defective Solar Panels Detection and Maintenance – FIU (Dr. Nezih Pala) Hybrid Rocket Motor – UCF (Dr. Ahmet Ozbay) Compact pressure sensing device for measuring Multi-Layer Insulation interstitial vacuum – FSU (Dr. Wei Guo) Tesla pump technology for use with in tank propellant mixing and transfer – FSU (Dr. Lance Cooley) ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge– FSU (Mr. Keith Larson) NASA University Student Launch Initiative – FSU (Dr. Rajan Kumar) RoboBoat Competition– FSU (Dr. Johnathan Clark) Development of an Autonomous Search and Rescue Unmanned Aerial Vehicle– FSU (Dr. Chiang Shih) Micro-G NExT Reduced Gravity Experiment in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston– ERAU (Dr. Sathya Gangadharan) Parabolic Flight Experiment – Development of a Revolutionary Approach for Efficient Microgravity Transfer Line Chilldown – UF (Dr. Jacob Chung) Design and Development of a Legged Mining Robot for Mars – ERAU (Dr. Eric Coyle) Regolith Gathering Lander – FIT (Dr. Kimberly Demoret) Ospery Miners – UNF (Dr. Stephen Stagon) Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2016-17 Cubesat Inflatable Heat Shield – FIT Space Debris Removal Thruster System – FIT Biomanufacturing for Space Flight and Robotic Exoskeleton Project – FIT UAV-based Agricultural Monitoring and Data Acquisition System – FIU NASA Robotic Mining Competition – FSU, FIT, and UNF Intercollegiate Rocket Competition – FSU NASA University Student Launch Initiative – FIU UAV Challenge Medical Express 2017 Competition – Miami International Engineering Rocketry Competition – Miami Rockon Workshop – Florida Polytech Human Rover Challenge – Florida Polytech Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2015-16 Reusable Entry Vehicle for Suborbital Science – Univ.

of Central Florida (UCF) Diverse Air-bearing Weightless Environment Project DAWN – Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) Mars Society’s University Rover Challenge – FIT Unmanned underwater-air hybrid vehicle (Shark Bait) – FIT Developing a planetary rover prototype with the capability of carrying multiple payloads for space resource utilization.

– UCF Land Based Autonomous Vehicle for the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition – Florida State University (FSU) 2016 Robotic Mining Competition – FIT, Univ. of Florida (UF), Univ.

of North Florida (UNF) Student Launch Initiative – Florida International University (FIU), UCF High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) – UCF, UF Mircogravity NeXt Design Challenge – Embry Riddle Aronautical University (ERAU) Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2014-15 Centrifugal Dust Experiment (CEDEX) – Univ. of Central Florida AIAA-UCF CanSat – Univ. of Central Florida AIAA Design Build Fly – Univ.

of Central Florida Simulated planetary science device Design and construction of an RC aircraft Magnetically Coupled Mixer/Pump System for Cryogenic Propellant Tank Destratification – Florida State University Visible Light Communication for Wireless Internet Connection – Florida International University UCF 2015 NASA Robotic Mining Team – University of Central Florida UF 2015 NASA Robotic Mining Team – University of Florida Asteroid Regolith Simulant Design and Development (Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams (Micro-g NExT))- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Rock Chip Sampling Device for Microgravity Bodies (Micro-g Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams (Micro-g NExT))- University of South Florida Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2013-14 Design of a flexible cubesat bus – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Design of an electrodynamic tether and deployment mechanism fora 3U cubesat – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Android Mobile Device Controlled Compact Potentiostat for a Portable and Affordable Biosensor Platform – Florida International University Multi-Purpose UAV – Florida International University UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHING GRENADE RELEASE AND INSPECTION SYSTEM – Florida International University AUVSI SUAS Seafarer Competition UAV Platform – Florida International University Direct Drive Solar Powered Arcjet Thruster – Florida State University Mars Lander Robot Recharger – Florida State University NASA/RASC-AL Robo-Ops Project – Florida State University Heavy Lift Model Aircraft – University of Central Florida Liquid Rocket Engine – University of Central Florida Relay-Assisted Network for Guidance of Exploration Robots – University of Central Florida LED-based sensor for simultaneous, time-resolved measurements of CO and CO2 from hybrid rocket exhausts – University of Central Florida Micro Air Vehicles – University of Central Florida Florida Tech 2014 NASA Robotic Mining Team – Florida Institute of Technology UCF 2014 NASA Robotic Mining Team – University of Central Florida UF 2014 NASA Robotic Mining Team – University of Florida Oculus Microgravity Team – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Miami Microghravity Team – University of Miami Investigation of Stiff Deployment Mechanism for Small Satellite Platforms – University of Florida Student Launch Initiative – University of Central Florida Precision Time Transfer with CubeSats – University of Florida Senior Design Projects and NASA Competitions supported in 2012-13 Smart Materials Museum Exhibit Design – Florida State University Multi-Element Free Space Optical Modules for Mobile Communications and Smart Lighting – Florida International University Remote Access Arm – University of South Florida Aerial Reconnaissance Drone Program – Florida International University Non-Orbiting Balloon Science – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Ozone Analysis – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Micro Air Vehicle(MAV) Autonomous Wing Control – University of Central Florida AAA Design Build Fly- University of Central Florida Aero Design Competition: Mirco Class – University of Central Florida Design & Construction of a Heavy Lift Model Air Craft – University of Central Florida Search and Rescue Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – University of Miami NASA RASC-AL ROBO-OPS – FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Airforce Nanosatellite Competition – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University NASA 2013 Lunabotics – Embry-Rdlle Aeronautical University NASA 2013 Lunabotics – Florida Institute of Technology Astronomy Society Balloon Project – University of Central Florida Ballooning workshop – Florida International University Senior Design Projects supported in 2011-12 AIAA Design, Build, Fly Competition – University of Central Florida Designing Electrical Systems for Testing the Ionosphere using Nano-satellite – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Autonomous Sensory Aerial Platform – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University BLUAV Hydrogen Fuel Cell Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – University of Central Florida Design Build Fly – University of Miami Micro Air Vehicle Robust Pitch Control (MAVRC) – University of Central Florida Senior Design Projects supported in 2010-2011: The Recoverable Ionospheric Rocket Project – University of Central Florida High Altitude Balloon program – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University The design, and building of a high speed photometer- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University The design and construction of a high-throughput, imaging optical spectrograph- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Aerobots – Florida International University Aerial Robotics – University of Miami Design and build an unmanned electric powered, radio controlled aircraft – University of Miami Thursday January 29, 2026 Earth Cup Race-1 Challenge Thursday January 29, 2026 NASA ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology for the Workforce) Thursday January 29, 2026 University Nanosatellite Program Mission Concept 2026 Summer Series Wednesday January 29, 2025 Space Technology Payload Challenge: A NASA STMD TechLeap Prize Thursday January 23, 2025 Europa Clipper ICONS Internship Please read the Submission Requirements before applying.

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