Founded in 1963 with the mission to provide talent for Central Florida and the growing U.S. space program, the university鈥檚 extensive involvement in space research and education not only drives innovations in space technology but also prepares the next generation of leaders in the field.

With more than 40 active NASA projects totaling more than $67 million in funding, 麻豆原创 continues to push the frontiers of space research, and its contributions promise to help shape the future of humanity’s presence in the cosmos.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 cutting-edge areas of space expertise include:

Space Medicine

鲍颁贵鈥檚 College of Medicine is pioneering new frontiers in aerospace medicine, positioning itself as a leader in space health research and education. Spearheaded by initiatives to create an interdisciplinary curriculum, 麻豆原创 is integrating expertise from engineering, medicine and nursing to address the unique health challenges of space exploration.

The college is building on existing research in space health, including innovative studies on the effects of microgravity on bone health, which could lead to improved protection for astronauts. Collaborations across disciplines, such as testing therapeutics for radiation protection and developing antimicrobial solutions for space station environments, highlight 鲍颁贵鈥檚 commitment to advancing astronaut health and shaping the future of space medicine.

Space Propulsion and Power

麻豆原创 is advancing space propulsion with groundbreaking research that could make space travel more efficient and viable for future missions. Researchers are developing innovative hypersonic propulsion systems, such as rotating detonation rocket engines, which harness high-speed detonations to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption 鈥� an advancement that could significantly lower costs and emissions associated with space travel, creating new commercial opportunities in the industry. 麻豆原创 is taking its hypersonics research even further with its recently launched Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion 鈥� the HyperSpace Center.

Additionally, 麻豆原创 teams are exploring novel power systems for spacecraft venturing far from the sun, where solar energy becomes impractical. With funding from NASA, researchers are creating storable chemical heat sources capable of providing essential heat and power in extreme environments, from the icy surfaces of distant moons to the intense heat of Venus.

Space Technology and Engineering

麻豆原创 is forging the future of space technology with innovations that push the boundaries of lunar and deep space exploration. Through advancements in lunar resource utilization, 麻豆原创 has developed methods to efficiently extract ice from lunar soil so that it can be transformed into vital resources like water and rocket fuel, while new techniques for processing lunar soil drastically reduce construction costs for infrastructure such as landing pads.

麻豆原创 researchers are also pioneering 3D-printed bricks made from lunar regolith that withstand extreme space conditions, setting the foundation for resilient off-world habitats. Lunar regolith is the loose dust, rocks and materials that cover the moon鈥檚 surface.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 Exolith Lab, part of the , continues to lead in space hardware testing, advancing resource extraction and lunar construction technologies. Meanwhile, FSI’s CubeSat program is opening new doors in space exploration with compact, affordable satellites that give students and researchers access to microgravity and beyond.

Space Commercialization

麻豆原创’s new space commercialization program 鈥� led by , College of Business professor of practice and associate provost for space commercialization and strategy 鈥� positions the university as a leader in space-related business education.

Autry will guide the college鈥檚 efforts to deliver Executive and MBA programs in space commercialization, driving curriculum development and establishing space-focused programs that equip students to lead in the growing commercial space industry.

In addition to the space commercialization聽program, Autry will be working with external stakeholders, including NASA, the U.S. Space Force and commercial firms like Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, to develop opportunities to advance mutual interests in space.

This includes working with Kennedy Space Center to lead a State University System partnership with the state of Florida to develop the necessary talent to maintain and expand Florida鈥檚 leadership in space exploration and commercialization.

Autry will also be leading 鲍颁贵鈥檚 effort to develop and execute a roadmap for the university鈥檚 SpaceU brand through targeted investments in talent and facilities.

Space Domain Awareness

麻豆原创 is advancing space domain awareness research to protect critical assets in orbit by developing sophisticated algorithms for tracking and predicting the movement of objects such as satellites and asteroids, so they don鈥檛 collide with spacecraft. Under the guidance of aerospace engineering expert Tarek Elgohary, 麻豆原创 researchers are creating a computational framework to rapidly and accurately track space objects in real time. This initiative is backed by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Dynamic Data and Information Process Program.

麻豆原创 is also addressing the growing issue of orbital debris through a NASA-funded study that includes researchers from 鲍颁贵鈥檚 FSI and . This project seeks to increase public awareness and support for managing space debris, a hazard to satellites and potential space tourism ventures.

Workforce Development

麻豆原创 is propelling students toward dynamic careers in the space industry with hands-on programs and sought-after internship opportunities. Through the new engineering graduate certificate in electronic parts engineering, developed in collaboration with NASA, students are gaining essential skills in testing and evaluating space-ready electronic components 鈥� a key advantage for aspiring space professionals.

Additionally, 麻豆原创 students can benefit from hands-on internships at Kennedy Space Center, where they gain real-world experience in various fields, from engineering to project management.

At the , students gain direct experience in microgravity research and robotics. The center embodies 鲍颁贵鈥檚 commitment to democratizing space access, offering pathways for students from all backgrounds to participate in and contribute to the growing space industry.

FSI鈥檚 CubeSat program further immerses students in satellite design and operation, offering direct involvement in active space missions.

Planetary Science

麻豆原创’s planetary science program is driving breakthroughs in space exploration with projects spanning the moon, Mars and beyond. The NASA-funded Lunar-VISE mission, led by 麻豆原创, will explore the Gruithuisen domes on the far side of the moon to understand their volcanic origins, potentially unlocking insights crucial for future space exploration.

Complementing this, 麻豆原创 researchers are contributing to NASA鈥檚 Lunar Trailblazer mission, which will map water ice deposits on the moon 鈥� an essential resource for sustained stays in space. On another front, 麻豆原创 scientists are studying dust behavior in microgravity through experiments that flew on Blue Origin鈥檚 New Shepard rocket, potentially leading to strategies for mitigating lunar dust, a challenge for electronics and equipment on future missions.

Expanding its reach beyond the moon, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 planetary science research involves asteroid studies, including the high-profile OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu and examining seismic wave propagation in simulated asteroid materials to understand asteroid evolution and early planetary formation. 麻豆原创 is also home to the , a node of NASA鈥檚 Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, which facilitates NASA鈥檚 exploration of deep space by focusing its goals at the intersection of surface science and surface exploration of rocky, atmosphereless bodies.

Additionally, 麻豆原创 researchers are studying trans-Neptunian objects and using the James Webb Space Telescope to explore the solar system’s outer reaches, analyzing ancient ices to uncover clues about the solar system’s history, while also investigating exoplanets to advance our understanding of other planets and to search for life beyond Earth.

In parallel, 麻豆原创 researchers are also advancing bold ideas for terraforming Mars through nanoparticle dispersion to create warming effect, making the Red Planet potentially more habitable.

麻豆原创 researchers have also contributed their expertise to multiple high-profile NASA missions, including Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Curiosity, and New Horizons.

Advancing Astrophotonics, History and Policy

鲍颁贵鈥檚 space research spans pioneering astrophotonics technology, studies in space history and critical analyses in space policy, each offering unique insights into the universe. The within CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics, is pushing the boundaries of photonics and astronomy, using tools like photonic lanterns, fiber optics, and hyperspectral imaging to detect cosmic phenomena and address profound questions about dark energy.

Meanwhile, delves into space history, exploring the cultural and scientific impacts of milestones like the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle program, helping illuminate humanity鈥檚 journey into space.

The contributes to this comprehensive approach with its broad studies of space policy, both domestically and internationally, including examining military space policy and rising space powers. The work involves studying space law, international agreements, and policy frameworks that guide space activities, which is essential for addressing the governance and strategic planning needed for space exploration and utilization.

Pioneering Tomorrow鈥檚 Space Exploration

麻豆原创 is pushing the frontiers of space research and education, tackling today鈥檚 challenges while preparing for the demands of future space missions. As the new space race continues, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 forward-thinking approach will continue to drive progress, inspire new possibilities and expand humanity鈥檚 reach into the universe.

As the university grew in enrollment over the decades, so did the programs around the campus, as well as the campus itself. Space research was part of the expansion. While 麻豆原创 had done research and served as a talent pipeline for the space industry, the administration wanted to extend its reach even further. In August 2002, Humberto Campins, Pegasus Professor in the Department of Physics, joined the university as provost research professor of physics and astronomy and head of the Planetary and Space Science Group. Campins joined the university with an extensive research background in asteroids, comets and small planetary bodies. While at the University of Arizona from 1998 to 2002, he was part of a team that submitted a proposal that became the OSIRIS REx mission,聽the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid.

Campins would be tasked with developing the planetary sciences program, though it took a few times to get him to join 麻豆原创. As Florida Space Grant Consortium director from 1994 to 1998, Campins got to know former professor and department chair Brian Tonner. Tonner pitched the opportunity to Campins, but he had started his job as the program officer at the Research Corporation and as research faculty at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory of the University of Arizona in Tucson. However, Campins would get a final offer that would lead to him considering moving to Orlando.

鈥淚 liked my job in Tucson, and I turned them down, and then that turned into another invitation and another,鈥� Campins says. 鈥淚 had another invitation to attend a workshop on physics pedagogy. I attended a workshop that turned into a third offer that was good enough that I said, 鈥榊ou know what? I might want to take a chance.鈥欌��

Lifting Off

Campins’ first two hires brought extensive planetary science research behind them. In 2003, Dan Britt joined 麻豆原创 as a professor of astronomy and planetary sciences, having worked on the Mars Pathfinder mission and done large-scale asteroid research. In 2005, Yan Fernandez was hired as an assistant professor in physics, having studied comets and asteroids for 11 years prior.

The following year, two hires would expand the physics department and 鲍颁贵鈥檚 space research goals as Joshua Colwell and Joe Harrington were hired as assistant professors. Colwell came to the university having worked on the NASA Cassini mission since some of its earliest planning stages in 1990 and was part of the design and observation planning for the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph, or UVIS, on the multi-instrument spacecraft. In 2019, Colwell and Richard Jerousek ’06 ’09MS ’18PhD, a former student of Colwell and current physics department lecturer, used UVIS data recorded by Cassini to measure and describe the structure of Saturn鈥檚 largest innermost ring, the C Ring.

Harrington led the Spitzer Exoplanet Target of Opportunity Program, which measured exoplanet eclipses and transits with the Spitzer Space Telescope. He was also part of the development of the Bayesian Atmospheric Radiative Transfer, an open-source, reproducible research code for inferring the properties of exoplanet atmospheres, for which he won the 2011 College of Sciences Excellence in Research Award.

Britt, Colwell and Harrington are now Pegasus Professors, with Colwell as physics department chair and Harrington associate vice president for research.

Raising the Profile

As with many start-ups, there were early challenges in developing the planetary sciences program. However, with help from the administration, such as Tonner, M.J. Soileau, CREOL鈥檚 founding director, and Michael Johnson, then-dean of the College of Sciences and current provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, the program was able to grow over time. The research also helped increase the university’s profile, which helped administrative support.

The 2010s saw 鲍颁贵鈥檚 space research evolve through their partnerships with various institutions. In 2012, the Florida Space Institute (FSI) was re-chartered to allow for an extensive research portfolio. That same year, FSI was also relocated from near NASA鈥檚 Kennedy Space Center to the Central Florida Research Park in Orlando, closer to 麻豆原创 and its research efforts. FSI also managed the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the largest fully operational radio telescope on the planet, leading to enhanced planetary research and discoveries such as a聽moon orbiting a near-Earth asteroid. Recently, Noemi Pinilla-Alonso an associate scientist at FSI, was part of a team studying the聽size and composition of Dinkinesh, an asteroid NASA鈥檚 Lucy mission visited this month. Britt is part of the science team for the mission.

A year after FSI was re-chartered, 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) launched via a $6 million NASA grant in 2013. CLASS facilitated one of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 key space contributions: The Exolith Lab. The lab develops and produces Martian, lunar and asteroid regolith simulants and works with NASA in addition to conducting its own research, led by Britt, Zoe Landsman 鈥�11 鈥�17PhD and Anna Metke.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 Martian formula is based on the chemical signature of the soils on Mars collected by the Curiosity rover, allowing researchers to have a more accurate simulant for the many research uses, such as plant growth, vehicle testing, processing and more.

鈥淚t’s really important to have a good handle of the mineralogy of the stuff you鈥檙e going to be working with because that really dictates the chemistry and the physical properties of the surface you鈥檙e going to be working on,鈥� Britt says.

Research Now and Beyond

Recent studies are pushing 鲍颁贵鈥檚 understanding of space even further. In 2020, Kareem Ahmed, an assistant professor in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and his team developed a聽new rocket propulsion system, leading more power to be generated from the rocket, traveling further while using less fuel and burning cleaner. In 2021, aerospace engineering Associate Professor Tarek Elgohary, along with his research students, used analytical and computational methods and machine learning to ensure聽spacecraft don鈥檛 collide with each other or space junk. The research is supported by the Federal Aviation Administration and Lockheed Martin Space.

Last year, Associate Professor Ranajay Ghosh and his team discovered a way to turn聽lunar regolith into 3D-printed bricks that could be used during space colonization. Using lunar regolith from the Exolith Lab, the bricks were made by 3D printing and binder jet technology (BJT), an additive manufacturing method that forces out a liquid binding agent (in this case, saltwater) onto a bed of powder.

Future space research will see Professors Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove lead a robotics mission studying the聽moon鈥檚 Gruithuisen Domes, a previously unexplored area. Launching in 2026, the researchers will examine the domes鈥� makeup and how dust interacts with the spacecraft and a rover. The $35 million mission will help inform future robotic and human exploration of the moon and may also help researchers better understand Earth鈥檚 history and other planets in the solar system.

For Donaldson Hanna, the range of planetary science research within the physics department drew her to 麻豆原创. She saw intriguing ways she could collaborate with people on various research possibilities.

鈥淛ust seeing how committed to space science and space exploration the university itself is, it’s certainly nice and fun to be in an environment where what you鈥檙e doing is celebrated and is exciting,鈥� Donaldson Hanna says.

While 麻豆原创 has worked with the space industry since its inception, the work done in the early 2000s helped take the university’s space research closer to the stars. From bringing in new faculty to help shape emerging departments to administrative decisions that would provide an immersive environment for space research, this period began a new era that saw Knight researchers Charge On to further understand our universe.

It was an early look at the planet, which today celebrates its 175^th birthday.

鈥淚 did a Neptune project all the way back in my undergraduate days,鈥� says 聽. 鈥淚t was my first real astronomy project. Even today, it鈥檚 quite a mystery. There are several mission concepts out there and there鈥檚 a highly motivated group of astronomers pushing them, but there are no approved missions 鈥� yet.鈥�

Despite the passage of time, the blue planet continues to captivate planetary scientists worldwide.

It is the narrowest of the gas giants and the furthest major planet out from the sun since Pluto was reclassified to a dwarf planet. Data from observations lead scientists to believe that Neptune is made up of gases and ice with a rocky core. Gravity is expected to be very close to what we experience on Earth because while Neptune has 17 times more mass than Earth, it is also four times larger than our planet. Distance is a challenge too. It would take about nine years to send a spacecraft to the planet with current technology.

There鈥檚 only been one flyby of the planet, completed by NASA鈥檚 Voyager 2 in 1989. It was a quick run and produced some stunning, but puzzling photos that left more questions than it answered.

The planet has also been studied from afar using the Keck, Hubble, and Spitzer telescopes, but it and its moon Triton still hold many secrets, says Assistant Professor of Physics Theodora Karalidi.

鈥淣eptune 鈥� in a way, it is the closest thing we have to a brown dwarf in the solar system,鈥� Karalidi says. 鈥淚f finding life outside our planet is of interest, then exploring Neptune should be of interest. A 鈥榞ood鈥� atmosphere is important. The more we learn about atmospheres in our solar system, from the Earth to Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune, the more we can understand atmospheres and differentiate between a planet that can support life from one that cannot. By learning what the key features of different types of clouds, chemistry or atmospheric circulation patterns are in our observations from a distance, and how they compare with observations from up-close, we can make more informed decisions on which planets to stare at for longer periods to see if they have life, even when we have a single pixel to work with.鈥�

Karalidi specializes in atmospheres of other planets. She鈥檚 eager to see what Neptune and Triton can tell us about life formation.

鈥淭riton 鈥� one of the moons of Neptune 鈥� is an intriguing, active body that could host an ocean. This could make it a great location to search for life outside the Earth,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f it could host life, understanding Neptune would again be important. The magnetic field of Neptune for example, is weird but we don鈥檛 know why. As magnetic fields can be friends and foes to life, how could that affect life on Triton? Also, understanding the weird field of Neptune could also inform us about planetary magnetic fields in general, their interaction with solar wind and cosmic rays, and in extension our own magnetic field and our protection from those factors here on Earth.鈥�

Neptune and Triton will remain visible with telescopes throughout winter. There are Knights Under the Stars events scheduled in October and again in November where the public can see these objects and others through several telescopes set up at the Robinson Observatory 鈥� at no cost. Participants also get a chance to ask questions and get some pointers from 麻豆原创 faculty and students in the planetary sciences program.

鈥淲e love sharing the wonder of space,鈥� says Yan Fernandez, a physics professor and director of the observatory. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how a lot of us got into space related work. It was simply looking up and seeing how big it is out there and realizing we have so much to learn.鈥�

Because of COVID19 Knights Under the Stars have limited capacity. To get more information and RSVP, visit the observatory鈥檚 website.聽 Check out next month鈥檚 line up which includes participation in the International Observe the Moon Night on Oct.16.

The annual Division for Planetary Sciences meeting kicked off in Denver on Saturday drawing thousands of scientists from around the world who study the solar system and its early formation. DPS is the largest professional organization of planetary scientists and is part of the American Astronomical Society.

Nineteen students and three faculty members are presenting findings at the meeting, through Oct. 11, which is a school record, said Daniel Britt, a professor of physics at 麻豆原创 and a former chair of DPS. 聽The most students to attend in previous years had been 15.

麻豆原创 students also snagged more than 50 percent of the free travel money available to students nationwide to attend the meeting thanks to their stellar work in the field and their early applications, Britt added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a year for us,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very exciting. We are well represented.鈥�

The undergraduate and graduate students will present on a range of topics from detailed studies of asteroid impacts to an analysis of bending waves found within Saturn鈥檚 rings.

For example, physics doctoral student Tracy Becker is presenting a talk about the rings of Saturn. She analyzed data from the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph, an instrument on the Cassini spacecraft that is currently orbiting Saturn, to measure the size and population of small particles in Saturn’s A ring. Constraints on the particle sizes in the rings contribute to the overall understanding of the origin and evolution of the Saturnian ring system, with applications in exploring planet formation, proto-planetary disks, and the structure of galaxies.

Students in physics professor Joe Harrington鈥檚 Exoplanets Group will present on a wide range of research related to the more than 1,000 planets discovered outside our solar system, which was made possible in the past few years thanks to a variety of modern instruments such as NASA鈥檚 Spitzer Space Telescope. They include:

Attending the conference gives students an opportunity to interact with other leading scientists in the field and giving presentations provides them invaluable experience, Britt said.

鈥淲e have found strong evidence for a very small, very hot and very close-by planet with the help of the Spitzer Space Telescope,” Kevin Stevenson 鈥�12PhD says.

The exoplanet candidate, called 麻豆原创 1.01, is close to its star, so close it goes around the star in 1.4 days. The planet鈥檚 surface likely reaches temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The discoverers believe that it has no atmosphere, is only two-thirds the gravity of Earth and that its surface may be volcanic or molten.

鈥淲e have found strong evidence for a very small, very hot and very close-by planet with the help of the Spitzer Space Telescope,” said Kevin Stevenson 鈥�12PhD, a lead author of the paper, which appears online tomorrow in The Astrophysical Journal. 鈥淭his discovery is a significant accomplishment for 麻豆原创.鈥�

Stevenson and his colleagues were studying a hot-Neptune exoplanet, designated GJ 436b, already known to exist around the red-dwarf star GJ 436, when data revealed clues that led them to suspect there could be at least one new planet in that system, perhaps two.

The team noticed slight dips in the amount of infrared light streaming from the star. A review of Spitzer archival data showed that the dips were periodic, suggesting that a planet might be blocking out a small fraction of light as it passed in front of GJ 436, as seen from Earth.

鈥淚 could see these faint dips in the starlight and I wanted to determine their source. I knew that if these signals were periodic, they could be from an unknown planet,鈥� said Stevenson, who is now a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chicago.

So he, professor Joseph Harrington and 麻豆原创 graduate student Nate Lust began looking at the data. They sifted through hundreds of hours of observations collected from Spitzer, the Deep Impact spacecraft, the ground-based Very Large Telescope in Chile and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

This transit technique, used by a number of telescopes, including NASA鈥檚 Kepler space telescope, relies on these tiny, partial eclipses to find exoplanet candidates. Spitzer has performed science work on known exoplanets before, but 麻豆原创-1.01 represents the first time Spitzer has made a transit discovery.

With the finding of 麻豆原创-1.01, GJ 436 is likely now home to the first multi-transiting-planet system described by a mission other than Kepler. Of the 1,800 stars identified by Kepler as candidates for having planetary systems, only three are verified to contain sub-Earth size exoplanets.

The depth and duration of a transit reveals basic properties of an exoplanet, such as its size and distance from a host star. In 麻豆原创-1.01鈥檚 case, its diameter is estimated at 5,200 miles, or two-thirds that of Earth, placing the world among the smallest on record. The team also noticed hints of yet another potential planet dubbed 麻豆原创-1.02, but its period was impossible to estimate.

So why aren鈥檛 scientists calling 麻豆原创-1.01 a planet?

A measured mass is needed to verify that these objects are planets, but even the most sensitive instruments currently available are unable to measure exoplanet masses this small.

鈥淒espite the lack of a confirmed mass, the team is confident future observations will verify our findings,鈥� Harrington said.

Spitzer scientists are eager to see what the future will bring.

鈥淚 hope future observations will confirm these exciting results, which show Spitzer may be able to discover exoplanets as small as Mars,鈥� said Michael Werner, Spitzer Project Scientist at JPL. 鈥淓ven after almost nine years in space, Spitzer鈥檚 observations continue to take us in new and important scientific directions.鈥�

Others who contributed to the study include: Nikole Lewis (University of Arizona), Guillaume Montagnier (European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere), Julianne Moses (Space Science Institute), Channon Visscher (Southwest Research Institute) and 麻豆原创 students Jasmina Blecic, Ryan Hardy, Patricio Cubillos and Christopher Campo.

Stevenson earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics from Simon Fraser University and a master鈥檚 degree in astronomy from the University of Western Ontario. In May 2012, he earned his Ph.D. in physics (planetary sciences track) from 麻豆原创 and earned the Order of Pegasus for his high academic and professional achievements as well as his service to the community. He has published articles in Nature and The Astrophysical Journal.

Harrington joined 麻豆原创 in 2006 and is now an associate professor in the planetary sciences group. Previously he was at Cornell University for almost 10 years. He has multiple degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Harrington鈥檚 research interests include planetary and exoplanetary atmospheres, comet impacts into atmospheres, astronomical data analysis methodology and infrared observing techniques.

Lust is a graduate student in the department of physics at 麻豆原创.