Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) Project | NNH24ZEA001N CST

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH24ZEA001N CST

NASA has issued a grant opportunity under Amendment 3 to its Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) 2024 NASA Research Announcement (NRA). The specific call is for the Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) Project (Funding Opportunity Number NNH24ZEA001N CST), and it is focused on advancing propulsion hardware that can support future commercial supersonic aircraft.

The core objective is to solicit proposals for a fuel injector design concept, along with fabrication of the injector hardware, for testing at NASA Glenn Research Center. In practical terms, NASA is looking for a mature, test-ready injector concept that can be built and evaluated in NASA facilities, rather than a purely paper or modeling study. The technical emphasis is on emissions performance, particularly achieving low nitrogen oxides (NOx) during supersonic cruise. At the same time, the injector design is expected to maintain reasonable NOx emissions during landing and takeoff (LTO), which matters because LTO emissions are closely tied to airport-area air quality and regulatory frameworks. The work is framed as establishing or benchmarking the current state of the art for low-NOx supersonic cruise combustor injection approaches, implying that NASA wants results that can serve as a credible reference point for future engine and combustor development.

The solicitation is clearly tied to an application horizon: technologies are being aimed at a supersonic aircraft with an entry-into-service timeframe around 2035. That timeline signals that NASA is interested in concepts that are innovative but also realistic to mature into flight-capable solutions within about a decade. The opportunity is aligned with NASA ARMD priorities described in the NASA Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan, specifically under Strategic Thrust 2, "Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft," which generally covers enabling technologies that could make high-speed civil transport viable, efficient, and compliant with environmental constraints.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a grant instrument, categorized under science and technology and other research and development, with CFDA number 43.002. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the call is broadly open rather than limited to a narrow class of organizations. NASA Headquarters is the sponsoring agency. Only one award is expected, indicating a competitive selection where NASA likely intends to concentrate resources on a single injector concept and build/test effort rather than spreading funds across multiple smaller awards. The listing does not specify an award ceiling, so applicants would need to rely on the NRA details and associated amendment text in NSPIRES for budgeting expectations, scope constraints, and any cost realism guidance.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) is explicitly not required, which removes an early administrative step and suggests proposers can proceed directly to preparing a full proposal package. Proposals were due May 31, 2024, and the opportunity was created (posted) on April 6, 2024. Overall, the CST Project call is best understood as a targeted, hardware-focused R&D effort to design and build a low-NOx fuel injector suitable for supersonic cruise combustion needs, with NASA Glenn providing the test environment and NASA ARMD providing the strategic context tied to future commercial high-speed aviation.

• The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.002.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for NNH24ZEA001N CST

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: