THE NATIONAL SPACE GRANT FOUNDATION (FOUNDATION) IN RESPONSE TO FY 2017 NASA EXPLORATION SYSTEMS AND HABITATION (X-HAB) PROJECT COMPETITIVE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE (CAN) NUMBER NNK17UB01C PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVE TO ENGAGE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE UNIVERSITY PROJECT TEAMS IN SUPPORT OF NASA S VISION AND MISSION. THIS PROPOSED EFFORT WILL PROVIDE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ADDRESS NASA IDENTIFIED GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE AND CAPABILITIES WHICH WILL PROVIDE A MEASURABLE REDUCTION IN TECHNOLOGY RISK FOR FUTURE NASA MISSIONS. THE FOUNDATION S MISSION OF TO PROMOTE AND PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH TRANSFORMATIONAL STEM EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND TO SUPPORT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN AREAS RELATED TO NASA S MISSIONS IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF THE X-HAB PROGRAM TO ENGAGE UNIVERSITY TEAMS IN DIRECT SUPPORT OF NASA S VISION AND MISSION. ONE OF THE FOUNDATION S PRIMARY OBJECTIVES IS TO FACILITATE INNOVATIVE COST-EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN NASA S FIELD CENTERS AND THE HIGHER-EDUCATION SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS COMMUNITIES.