National Hypersonic Science Centers (NHSC), Air Force Office of Scientific Research | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Hypersonic Science Centers (NHSC) opportunity is a competitive research funding announcement issued by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). AFOSR is the basic research arm of the U.S. Air Force within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and its role is to fund early-stage science and engineering that can eventually transition into capabilities that matter to Air Force missions. This particular BAA supports the National Hypersonic Science Center program, a joint effort sponsored by AFOSR together with NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), specifically its Fundamental Aeronautics Program Hypersonics Project. In practical terms, that means proposals are expected to align with shared Air Force and NASA interests in foundational hypersonics science, and selections are made with those broader national hypersonics research priorities in mind.

The solicitation invites research proposals in the technical areas described in the BAA's Section I (the detailed topic list is referenced but not included in the text provided). The program is positioned as basic research, meaning it is focused on advancing fundamental understanding, models, methods, and enabling technologies rather than product development. AFOSR highlights its broader goal of ensuring that research results can transition to Air Force needs over time, so even fundamental work is typically expected to be relevant to real hypersonic challenges such as high-speed aerothermodynamics, propulsion at extreme conditions, high-temperature materials behavior, guidance and control in harsh environments, or measurement and modeling techniques that reduce uncertainty in hypersonic regimes. The NHSC framing also suggests an emphasis on building coordinated research efforts that can serve as centers of expertise and help grow the national research base in hypersonics.

From a funding and award perspective, the announcement allows for multiple types of funding instruments, including grants, cooperative agreements, procurement contracts, or a combination depending on the nature of the work and the level of government involvement expected. The estimated total funding listed for the opportunity is $30,000,000, and the stated award ceiling is $2,000,000, which indicates that individual awards are anticipated to be at or below that amount even though overall program funding is larger across all awards. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, so applicants are not required to bring non-federal funds to be eligible. As with many BAAs, the sponsors explicitly reserve the right to make awards for all, some, or none of the proposals received, depending on quality, relevance, and available funding.

Eligibility is broad and essentially unrestricted, with the main requirement being that applicants are responsible and meet the solicitation requirements by the stated deadlines. Both academia and industry are eligible to apply, and AFOSR and NASA explicitly encourage submissions from U.S. universities, including Department of Defense institutions of higher education, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with science and engineering degree programs, minority-serving institutions, and minority researchers. That encouragement signals an interest in strengthening the diversity and resilience of the hypersonics research workforce, not just funding isolated projects.

Key administrative details are straightforward. The funding opportunity number is AFOSR BAA 2008-7, and it is categorized as discretionary funding under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category. The CFDA number listed is 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program), which is the standard program identifier used for many AFOSR basic research awards. The posting date is September 19, 2008, with an original and current closing date of December 12, 2008, and an archive date of January 11, 2009. The announcement notes that AFOSR will not issue paper copies, so applicants are expected to access and submit materials electronically as directed in the full BAA.

The BAA also includes several standard but important process statements. Proposal development costs are not reimbursed, meaning the government will not pay applicants for the time and expense of writing and preparing proposals. Submitted technical and cost proposals will not be returned, and AFOSR states it treats proposals as sensitive competitive information, limiting disclosure of contents to what is necessary for evaluation. This is intended to reassure proposers, especially those from industry, that proprietary approaches and competitive concepts will be handled with appropriate care during the review process.

For questions or issues accessing the announcement electronically, the listed point of contact is Ricky Christie, a Procurement Analyst. The notice also references an additional information link pointing to AFOSR BAAs generally, implying that the full topic description, submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and required formats are located in the complete announcement package rather than in the summary text provided.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Air Force Office of Scientific Research

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: National Marsh Bird Monitoring Program

Previous opportunity: Photon Trap Structures for Quantum Advanced Detectors (PT SQUAD)

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for AFOSR BAA 2008 7

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (AFOSR BAA 2008 7) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "AFOSR BAA 2008 7", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.