Kennedy Space Center Senior Design Projects
2026–2027 Academic Year
2026–27 Project List: KSC Capstone Topics for Florida Space Grant
Eligibility
Participation is limited to:
- U.S. citizens only
- Undergraduate students enrolled at a Florida university or college
- Senior Design/Capstone teams working under the supervision of a faculty advisor
Students who are not U.S. citizens are not eligible to participate in these NASA Kennedy Space Center Senior Design projects.
Program Overview
The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), in collaboration with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), provides senior undergraduate design teams from Florida colleges and universities with an opportunity to address real-world technical challenges identified by NASA engineers and scientists.
Senior Design and Capstone courses are an important component of engineering and other technical degree programs. Through this initiative, student teams can apply the knowledge and skills developed during their undergraduate education to authentic NASA aerospace problems while working with technical mentors from Kennedy Space Center.
Projects are designed to be appropriate for either:
- a one-semester project, typically about 15 weeks; or
- a two-semester project, typically about 30 weeks.
The program provides students with valuable experience in engineering design, problem solving, teamwork, technical communication, prototype development, and interaction with NASA professionals.
A primary goal of the program is to help develop NASA’s and Florida’s future aerospace workforce by engaging university students in meaningful, NASA-relevant research and engineering challenges.
Kennedy Space Center Project Topics
Each year, KSC engineers and scientists identify technical problems that are suitable for university Senior Design and Capstone teams.
KSC Capstone Topics for Florida Space Grant
Each project topic will provide a general description, related degree examples and KSC point of contact. Please note that the degree examples are just a suggestion
Because these projects involve work with NASA Kennedy Space Center:
All participating students must be U.S. citizens and must be enrolled at a Florida college or university.
KSC Technical Mentoring
Each selected team will be assigned a KSC technical mentor.
At the beginning of the project, mentors generally meet with faculty and students for approximately one hour per week to provide background information, clarify the technical need, identify relevant references, and help the team define its approach.
As the project progresses and the team becomes more focused, meetings typically transition to approximately one hour every other week, or as mutually agreed upon by the KSC mentor, faculty advisor, and student team.
The faculty advisor remains responsible for the academic supervision and management of the Senior Design project.
Application Process
Applications are completed through a two-step process.
Step 1 – Project Selection and Initial Proposal
Faculty advisors and student teams should review the list of projects proposed by KSC engineers and scientists and identify a topic that aligns with the team’s academic background and technical interests.
To be considered, the faculty advisor and student team must submit a brief one- to two-page initial proposal using the FSGC template.
2026-27_KSC_Senior_Design_Projects_proposal_template
The proposal should describe:
- the topic selected;
- title of the proposed project;
- the team’s proposed approach;
- the anticipated scope of work;
- the qualifications and academic backgrounds of the student team;
- the role of the faculty advisor; and
- whether the project will be conducted over one or two semesters.
First-Step Proposal Deadline:
September 4, 2026
Proposals should be submitted electronically to:
Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee
Director, NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium
Email: jaydeep.mukherjee@ucf.edu
NASA Kennedy Space Center will review proposals in coordination with FSGC. Proposals may be reviewed as they are received.
Teams selected to proceed will be notified by FSGC by September 11, 2026
Step 2 – FSGC Funding Proposal
Teams selected through Step 1 will be invited to submit a second proposal to the Florida Space Grant Consortium for financial support.
Subject to availability of funds and annual budget approval, FSGC may provide up to:
- $750 for a one-semester Senior Design project, including 10% indirect costs
- $1,250 for a two-semester Senior Design project, including 10% indirect costs
Maximum of 6 teams will be supported each academic year depending upon the availability of FSGC funding.
Appropriate Uses of FSGC Funds
Award funds are intended primarily to support:
- student team travel to Kennedy Space Center;
- materials and supplies required for the project;
- fabrication and testing expenses; and
- development of a prototype or model.
Teams are expected to make at least one visit to Kennedy Space Center during the project. When feasible and appropriate, two visits are encouraged.
Project Deliverables
One-Semester Projects
The principal deliverable is a:
- Final written technical report
Depending upon the nature of the project, teams may also be asked to provide drawings, designs, software, data, analyses, or other technical products.
Two-Semester Projects
The principal deliverables are:
- Final written technical report, and
- Prototype, model, demonstration, or comparable technical product, as appropriate to the project.
Teams may also be asked to make a technical presentation to their KSC mentors and FSGC.
Step 2 Proposal Package
Teams invited to submit a second-stage proposal should provide the following:
- Student Project Proposal Cover Page
Complete the FSGC Senior Design Project cover page (student-project-proposal-cover-page).
- Initial Project Proposal
Include the proposal submitted during Step 1, incorporating any revisions requested by the KSC mentor or FSGC.
- Budget and Budget Justification
Provide a brief explanation of how the FSGC award will be used. Example: material cost, travel to KSC, etc.
The total request may not exceed:
- $750 for a one-semester project, or
- $1,250 for a two-semester project.
- Student Participation Information
FSGC must collect information about the students participating in supported projects for NASA reporting purposes. (Student Details list)
For each participating student, please provide:
- Name
- Email address
- Citizenship
- Academic status (senior, junior, etc.)
- Major or academic discipline
- Gender
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Disability status
All participating students must be U.S. citizens.
If an institution prefers not to provide personally identifiable demographic information, aggregate demographic totals for the participating students may be submitted instead.
Individual demographic information is not included in FSGC’s reports to NASA. Data are aggregated and used to document program participation, outcomes, and the impact of NASA Space Grant-supported education and workforce-development activities.
Citizenship Requirement
Because this activity is supported by NASA through the Florida Space Grant Consortium:
Only U.S. citizens enrolled at Florida colleges and universities are eligible to participate in the KSC Senior Design Project Program.
Faculty advisors should verify the citizenship eligibility of all team members before submitting a proposal.
Indirect Costs
Indirect costs will be determined in accordance with Clause 3.4 of the applicable Master Agreement between the University of Central Florida, acting on behalf of the Florida Space Grant Consortium, and the participating institution.
Support for these projects is provided solely by the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium.
The indirect cost rate applicable to FSGC programs is 10%, except where different requirements apply to scholarships, fellowships, and internships.
Why Participate?
Participation in a Kennedy Space Center Senior Design project provides students with the opportunity to:
- Work on an authentic NASA engineering or technical challenge
- Interact directly with NASA engineers and scientists
- Apply classroom knowledge to a real-world aerospace problem
- Develop engineering design and problem-solving skills
- Gain experience in technical communication and teamwork
- Visit and work with personnel at NASA Kennedy Space Center
- Develop prototypes and other technical products
- Build experience relevant to careers with NASA and the aerospace industry
For faculty, the program provides access to challenging, NASA-relevant Senior Design topics and opportunities to establish relationships with researchers and engineers at Kennedy Space Center.
Contact Information
For programmatic questions, proposal submissions, or additional information, please contact:
Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee
Director
NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium
Florida Space Institute
University of Central Florida
12354 Research Parkway, Room 218
Orlando, FL 32826-0650
Email: jaydeep.mukherjee@ucf.edu
Email submission of proposals is preferred.