Astronomical Sciences Technology and Instrumentation (ATI)
Astronomical Sciences Technology and Instrumentation (ATI) supports investigators and teams developing ground-based astronomy technologies and instruments to enable new observations and benefit the wider U.S. community.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: November 16, 2026 (Full proposal target date) | Any time (Proposals accepted)
Funding Amounts: Approximately 10 ATI awards anticipated; award sizes not specified
Summary: Supports technologies and instruments that enable new or substantially improved ground-based astronomy observations.
Key Information: Projects must significantly advance ground-based observations and benefit the wider U.S. astronomical community.
Description
The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Astronomical Sciences Technology and Instrumentation (ATI) program funds individual investigators and collaborative teams developing technologies and instruments for ground-based astronomy and astrophysics. Projects may pursue advanced technology development, concept feasibility studies, specialized instrumentation, hardware, software, or analysis methods. ATI welcomes exploratory work with significant technical risk when it could enable observations that are difficult or impossible with existing capabilities.
The program covers astronomical observations from optical through radio wavebands. Relevant technologies include adaptive optics, spectrometers, detectors, telescopes, antennae, and radio-camera components. ATI favors advances in observing capability over routine design development or instrument upgrades. Access to supported capabilities by the wider U.S. astronomical community is an important measure of success.
