Juno Propulsion Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation
SEATTLE, WA, September 11, 2024 – Juno Propulsion Inc. has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $275,000 to conduct research and development (R&D) work on next-generation rocket propulsion using rotating detonation combustion.
Juno Propulsion is working to power the next decade of the space economy, rapidly growing to a projected $1T USD industry by 2030. Despite the strong demand for products and services offered by space providers, there remains a large barrier to accessing and operating in space, mainly due to outdated propulsion options. Juno’s in-space propulsion solution is based on rotating detonation combustion, with improved fuel efficiency to enable endless mission opportunities.
“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”
“Through the NSF SBIR, we are funding the next phase of our technology development and bringing our product closer to market” said Alexis Harroun, CEO and Founder of Juno Propulsion. “This award is critical to advancing our goal of offering the first rotating detonation combustion-based thruster for use in space.”
All proposals submitted to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF, undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million.
About the U.S. National Science Foundation's Small Business Programs: America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards more than $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development, helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
