Well Told Grants

Grants / Department of Defense / DARPA - Defense Sciences Office

HR001125S0008: Sources for Ultraviolet Nuclear Spectroscopy of Thorium (SUNSPOT)

Closed Closed March 13, 2025 Opportunity HR001125S0008

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Young Faculty Award (YFA) 2027 (DARPARA2701). Status: Closes January 13, 2027 (67 days left). It is in our archive of DARPA - Defense Sciences Office notices from 2025.

DARPA - Defense Sciences Office offered grants to the applicants described in the notice. Applications closed on March 13, 2025.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed February 5, 2025. Checked November 7, 2026.

Key dates

PostedJanuary 27, 2025
DeadlineMarch 13, 2025
Archived by Grants.govApril 12, 2025

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. See the Eligibility Information section of the BAA for more information.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the development of highly coherent sources of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation for clock-grade spectroscopy of the recently discovered thorium (229m-Th) nuclear isomeric transition. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Who has won Research and Technology Development grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Research and Technology Development (12.910) awarded $1.5 billion across 739 grant awards, an average of $2.1 million per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia26$84.5 million
Clemson UniversitySouth Carolina2$82.2 million
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts29$63.1 million
Regents of the University of MichiganMichigan21$59.6 million
The Regents of the University of California, San FranciscoCalifornia5$44.4 million

Top states: California ($334 million), Massachusetts ($188 million), New York ($103 million), Pennsylvania ($87.8 million), Illinois ($83.3 million).

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, DARPARA2701, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.

Questions people ask

Is HR001125S0008 still open?

No. It closed on March 13, 2025. A newer notice is open: DARPARA2701, closes January 13, 2027 (67 days left).

Who can apply for Sources for Ultraviolet Nuclear Spectroscopy of Thorium (SUNSPOT)?

DARPA - Defense Sciences Office accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for Sources for Ultraviolet Nuclear Spectroscopy of Thorium (SUNSPOT)?

Closed March 13, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

Who has won Research and Technology Development grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of Southern California, Clemson University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The program made 739 awards worth $1.5 billion in that time.

Similar open grants