NASA TechLeap Prize: Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge
Funds developers of payloads that can be manipulated by a robotic arm in low Earth orbit with cash prizes and a hosted orbital flight test.
The Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge (RMPC) is the fifth challenge in the NASA TechLeap Prize series, run by NASA's Flight Opportunities program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). It is structured as a prize competition, not a grant or cooperative agreement. Congress authorized NASA to use prize authority under the America COMPETES Act to run these challenges.
Up to …
In-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM); robotic arm interaction; orbital payload development; low Earth orbit demonstrations.
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Guides for this application
All guides →Grants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
Write proposalHow to Write a Grant Proposal Reviewers Can Score
Learn how to write a grant proposal around reviewer criteria, evidence, work packages, budget logic, and commercialization for deeptech and R&D funding.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
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TechLeap Prize: Robotically Manipulated Payload Challenge
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