Grace Gratton wins Copper Moon Coffee Astronaut Scholar award again

Embry-Riddle space physics major Grace Gratton has been selected for a second straight year as Copper Moon Coffee’s sponsored Astronaut Scholar, with the 2026-27 award supporting her heliophysics research and upcoming NASA Goddard internship. The renewal highlights Copper Moon’s partnership with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and its more than $90,000 in contributions to STEM programs.

Why it matters: - Grace Gratton’s second consecutive Astronaut Scholar award gives her continued support for research in heliophysics and a path toward graduate study and a career in space science and education. - The award also shows how Copper Moon Coffee and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation are using scholarship funding to build the aerospace talent pipeline. - Copper Moon Coffee has contributed more than $90,000 to ASF through scholarships, sponsorships and other STEM initiatives.

What happened: - Copper Moon Coffee and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation named Grace Gratton the 2026-27 recipient of the Astronaut Scholar Award sponsored by Copper Moon Coffee. - Gratton is a space physics major at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. - The Minnesota native from New London, Minnesota, first received the award in 2025. - The announcement was made June 9, 2026, in Lafayette, Indiana.

The details: - ASF recognizes a select group of students nationwide for academic achievement and innovative research. - Gratton spent the past year advancing heliophysics research, the study of the sun and its influence on Earth’s atmosphere, satellites and communication systems. - The renewed scholarship will help support her continued research while she prepares for graduate studies. - Gratton’s published work in resilient multi-agent systems has contributed to conference presentations and publications in progress. - She also received the 20 Twenties Award this spring, which honors the top 20 students in aviation, aerospace and defense. - Gratton said the scholarship helped her pursue an internship with the Air Force Research Lab without the financial burden of relocating. - Gratton said that experience prepared her for an upcoming internship at NASA Goddard and the next phase of her research. - Gratton is also active in STEM outreach through volunteer work, mentorship programs and creative outreach initiatives. - She helped lead “The Drive to Fly,” an art competition founded by Astronaut Scholar and Embry-Riddle alum Vikas Patel and sponsored by Copper Moon. - The competition awarded more than $11,000 to student artists and displayed their work at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® Induction Ceremony & Gala featuring Space Rendezvous. - Gratton plans to launch “Connection Cards,” an initiative that will connect Embry-Riddle students with hospital patients through handwritten notes and future in-person visits. - Copper Moon Coffee is a family-owned roastery based in Lafayette, Indiana. - ASF is an Orlando-based nonprofit founded in 1984 by the six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. - ASF says it has awarded more than $10 million to over 900 college students over the past 40 years. - ASF is a four-star-rated organization by Charity Navigator.

Between the lines: - The second-year renewal suggests ASF and Copper Moon are treating Gratton as a long-term investment, not a one-time scholarship recipient. - Gratton’s mix of research, internships and outreach fits ASF’s broader goal of backing students who can become future aerospace leaders. - Copper Moon’s sponsorship also functions as brand-aligned philanthropy tied to STEM education and the aerospace industry.

What’s next: - Gratton will be formally recognized at ASF’s Innovators Symposium and Gala on Aug. 14-15, 2026, in Houston. - She will present her heliophysics research at the Astronaut Scholar Technical Conference with fellow 2026 Astronaut Scholars. - Gratton is preparing for her upcoming internship at NASA Goddard. - Copper Moon said more information is available on the company’s commitment to STEM education and innovation.