Following Malta’s recent accession to the Artemis Accords, Xjenza Malta is pleased to share an exciting opportunity from NASA for members of Malta’s research and innovation community.
NASA has launched the 7th cohort of the Spaceflight Technology, Applications, and Research (STAR-7) virtual training programme, which focuses on the science and technology behind biological experiments conducted in space.
The programme aims to encourage networking and collaboration in spaceflight technologies, applications, and research while preparing researchers to develop and conduct spaceflight experiments using NASA and commercial platforms.
The STAR-7 programme is expected to run virtually from September 2026 to February 2027, with weekly two-hour online sessions.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
• Hold an advanced degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent);
• Be a Principal Investigator (PI), Senior Research Scientist, or Postdoctoral Scholar interested in space biosciences;
• Be affiliated with a commercial entity, academic institution, international organisation, NASA Centre, or other government agency;
• If applying as a Postdoctoral Scholar, include a reference letter from their supervisor.
Key Information
• Call Number: NNH26ZDA012L
• Application Deadline: 31 July 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time (USA)
• Notification of Results: On or after 14 August 2026
• Programme Duration: September 2026 – February 2027 (estimated)
Applications must be submitted directly to NASA through the NSPIRES system in accordance with the official call documentation.
For further information on the programme, eligibility requirements, and application process, please visit:
• https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/resources/star/
• https://go.nasa.gov/ApplySTAR26
Questions Regarding the Call
Any questions or comments regarding the STAR-7 call should be addressed directly to the NASA STAR Management Team by email at HQ-STAR-Management@mail.nasa.gov with the subject line: STAR-7 Application.
NASA may respond directly to individual enquiries or publish answers to questions of broader interest in a Q&A document on the STAR NSPIRES webpage. Where a Q&A document is published, the anonymity of question submitters will be preserved.
Prior Notification to Xjenza Malta
To assist in monitoring Malta’s participation in international space opportunities, applicants who submit an application to NASA are kindly requested to notify Xjenza Malta by email at space.xjenzamalta@gov.mt after submitting their application.
Please include:
• Applicant name;
• Organisation (if applicable);
• Confirmation that the application has been correctly submitted.
Please note that this notification is for national coordination and reporting purposes only and does not form part of NASA’s evaluation or selection process.
Xjenza Malta encourages all eligible Maltese researchers and professionals to take advantage of this excellent opportunity and wishes all applicants every success.
