When NASA launches its latest voyage to the International Space Station on May 12, it will carry a blood clotting experiment from the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine鈥檚 newest faculty member. The research will include illuminated bone marrow cells floating in space to find better ways to keep astronauts and Earthlings healthier.

Hansjorg Schwertz specializes in occupational health and focuses his research on how microgravity and radiation in space impact the body鈥檚 blood-clotting functions. After an extensive career overseas and at the University of Utah, he comes to 麻豆原创 to serve as the associate director for Translational Aerospace Medicine Research at the 麻豆原创 Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

As humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond, the center is exploring how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

鈥淲hen it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than 麻豆原创,鈥� he says.

NASA Concerned About Blood Clots in Space

Pre- and post-mission medical testing of astronauts on the International Space Station has shown that spaceflight changes their immune system and blood clotting ability. A few astronauts have even developed blood clots during a flight or after returning. For that reason, Schwertz is leading the NASA-funded Megakaryocytes Orbiting in Outer Space and Near Earth (MOON) study, which he began working on at the University of Utah and continues to collaborate with the university’s researchers on.

鈥淲hen it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than 麻豆原创.鈥� 鈥� Hansjorg Schwertz

Megakaryocytes are bone marrow cells that create platelets, which circulate in the blood stream and can stop bleeding or form blood clots. Both cells also play a key role in immune responses.

The MOON study is examining how space flight affects the development and function of megakaryocytes as they create platelets. The results could provide important knowledge about the risks of inflammation, immune responses and blood clot formation that will help space travelers and patients on Earth, Schwertz says.

His team is sending human cells to the ISS on board the SpaceX 34 resupply mission. Once they are aboard the space station, astronauts will culture the cells and help to develop megakaryocytes in space.

One part of the experiment is to watch the cells in real time, and how they develop their 鈥渄aughter cell,鈥� the platelets. Because the research will be in microgravity, the cells will float. They鈥檒l be stained with fluorescent dye so 麻豆原创鈥檚 researcher can examine them remotely at better accuracy.

Schwertz says mentors taught him, 鈥渟eeing is believing,鈥� so he is 鈥済enuinely excited鈥� to see megakaryocytes float in space.

Advancing Personalized Medicine

One of the challenges of space medicine research is that so few people have gone to space, so the sample pool is small. As space travel and colonization progress, more people will be traveling to and working on the moon and beyond.

Healthwise, many will be different than astronauts who are selected after going through vigorous testing and selection criteria. Thus, space is a new frontier of healthcare.

Schwertz hopes his study will unlock technologies and therapies to keep astronauts鈥� blood clotting mechanisms controlled, prevent abnormal clotting and bring those discoveries back to Earth.

鈥淲e鈥檙e examining the impact of space flight on each person鈥檚 cells,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is personalized medicine, and isn鈥檛 that what healthcare is all about?鈥�

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for Aerospace Medicine at the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine and founding director of CASEEM, Schwertz’s work reflects the program’s broader mission to connect spaceflight research with practical clinical and operational solutions.

鈥淥ur aerospace medicine program is intentionally designed to be operational and translational in nature,鈥� Urquieta says. 鈥淲e are building a program that can support the real medical needs of exploration missions while rapidly translating discoveries from spaceflight and extreme environments into innovations that improve health here on Earth.鈥�

Schwertz received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the School of Medicine at the University of Mainz, Germany. After a residency in Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Halle, Germany, he did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Utah, where he also served as faculty.

In 2012, he 听was awarded a prestigious Lichtenberg-Professorship for Experimental Hemostasis and returned to Germany where he directed a research laboratory. He returned to Utah in 2015, where he completed his residency training in Occupational Medicine and was a faculty member, researcher and community physician.

The material is based upon work supported by NASA under award No. 80NSSC22K0255. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The mission will include multiple health studies on the four astronauts to determine how radiation, microgravity, isolation and other factors impact their physical health, mind and behavior 鈥� crucial information that will help pave the way for future lunar surface missions and develop our understanding about humans鈥� deep space capabilities.

Thanks to new technology and modern medicine, researchers have better ways to understand the impact of space flight on human health.

鈥淎rtemis II is both a historic and biomedically important mission,鈥� says 听Emmanuel Urquieta, the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine鈥檚 vice chair for aerospace medicine and director of the university鈥檚 new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

鈥淔or the first time since Apollo 17, humans will travel beyond the Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. That matters enormously from a research perspective, because now we have technology to thoroughly understand the health impact of embarking into deep space. The knowledge gained from Artemis II will help shape the future of safe human space exploration and drive innovations that can benefit medicine here on Earth and help us start preparing us for a mission to Mars.鈥�

The Space Coast鈥檚 College of Medicine

As the closest medical school to the Kennedy Space Center, 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine is charting a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, and commercial space flights take more civilians into space.

The goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention on Earth.

To further those efforts, 麻豆原创鈥檚 CASEEM includes faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership. This interdisciplinary group will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy, as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

What Lies Ahead for Artemis II鈥檚 Astronauts

• Understanding Radiation Exposure Effects

Traveling to the moon 鈥� which humans haven鈥檛 returned to since 1972 鈥� means astronauts will go beyond Earth鈥檚 Van Allen belts, which protect humans from cosmic radiation and solar storms. Space travelers to the International Space Station stay within Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. During their 10-day mission, Artemis II is anticipated to break Apollo 13鈥檚 record (248,655 miles) for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.

Fifty years ago, researchers could do little more than measure radiation. This time will be different, says 麻豆原创鈥檚 William 鈥淓d鈥� Powers, chief medical officer of CASEEM and the former chief of NASA鈥檚 Medical Operations branch where he was a primary medical support physician for six shuttle missions.

鈥淢edical knowledge, technology and the ability to diagnose disease have advanced significantly since then,鈥� he says.

Physicians and scientists will be able to determine how radiation impacts cells, organs, blood proteins and other molecular functions.

Artemis crew members will carry dosimeters in their pockets that measure radiation exposure in real time. Monitors inside the Orion spacecraft will also gather radiation information throughout the flight for future analysis.

An astronaut suffering a medical condition in space is always a concern, but deep space travel brings additional challenges, Powers explains. While astronauts on the International Space Station can be returned to Earth in about a day, as happened recently when a crew member became ill, returning from the moon may take several days or more.

鈥淣one of the four astronauts on this flight is a physician,鈥� Powers says. 鈥淎nd a space capsule certainly doesn鈥檛 have the same equipment you鈥檇 have in a hospital emergency room.鈥�

• Does Space Flight Reduce Immunity?

Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions alter the and reactivate dormant viruses in the human body. As part of the Artemis II mission, NASA will conduct an AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) experiment that will investigate how deep space impacts specific cells and tissues as well as some vital bodily functions including immune system responses.

For this experiment, NASA-funded scientists created 鈥渙rgan-on-a-chip鈥� devices that contain each astronaut鈥檚 bone marrow cells. This technology allows scientists to examine molecular changes and cell function.

鈥淲ith this technology we can see how the body responds to stimuli across the whole mission,鈥� says Jennifer Fogarty, CASEEM鈥檚 chief scientist who came to 麻豆原创 after serving as chief scientist for NASA鈥檚 Human Research Program. 鈥淭his capability will help us map the body鈥檚 molecular changes with tissue/organ function and much better predictive capabilities.鈥�

As the 鈥渙rgan-on-a-chip鈥� technology advances and proves accurate, it will allow NASA physicians to provide personalized and proactive medicine to astronauts because they will be able to predict a crew member鈥檚 biological response to space flight. Such technology could be used before NASA sends an actual crew to Mars. The space agency could place the crew鈥檚 personalized chips on unmanned flights to the Red Planet to better understand the potential health risks for each individual.

鈥淚t鈥檚 basically sending small versions of astronauts to Mars before we send astronauts to Mars,鈥� Fogarty says.

• Teamwork and Behavior

Selecting an astronaut crew that will perform well under the stresses of space flight is always a top NASA priority. But deep space missions present additional personnel challenges, including communication delays, increased isolation and resource constraints.

Astronauts on moon and Mars missions also must live in a capsule that is significantly smaller than the International Space Station, highlighting the need for crews to work together seamlessly and be able to manage any conflicts.

The Artemis flight will conduct an experiment called ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness) that will evaluate how astronauts perform individually and as a team during the mission.

They will wear sleep and movement monitors before, during and after the mission to evaluate their cognition and team dynamics.

鈥淵ou watch the astronauts on TV, and it looks so easy,鈥� Fogarty says. 鈥淏ut human performance is critical in space. You have multiple duties to conduct and you鈥檙e always pushing operations. So we need to understand how the team performs, their reserve and resilience. The mission itself is the experiment.鈥�

Star Nona 2026

麻豆原创鈥檚 leading space medicine experts, valued strategic partners and an astronaut who holds NASA鈥檚 record for spacewalks will gather April 10 in Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City to discuss how they can work together to keep space travelers healthy and use that research to create groundbreaking clinical innovations on Earth.

The 鈥淪tar Nona 2026鈥� event is led by the Lake Nona Research Council, which is focused on encouraging interdisciplinary scientific partnerships between industry, academia and healthcare.

The council includes physicians and researchers from 麻豆原创, Orlando Health, AdventHealth, the Florida Space Institute, the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nemours Children鈥檚 Health, business and industry.

For more information, including how to register for the event, visit www.ucf.edu/news/progressing-the-final-frontier-of-medicine-space.

As a 67-year-old retiree, Amy Lendian wants you to know it鈥檚 never too late. Never too late to start over; to go for your dream career; to earn your college degree.

When the 麻豆原创 Online history student assumes her spot at the console at Kennedy Space Center to lead the facility systems engineers for the upcoming historic Artemis II launch, that affirmation will echo within her once more.

鈥淚 always believed in myself and felt that I could do this,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t really is never too late.鈥�

Turning a Setback Into a Comeback

Lendian spent the majority of her adult life building her career as a fire protection engineer, helping design sprinkler systems and other fire safety infrastructure.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The construction industry came to a screeching halt. In her 60s, she suddenly faced unemployment.

鈥淚 thought, 鈥榃ho is going to want to hire me in my 60s?鈥� 鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I made it my job to find a job. And not just any job. I set out for my dream job in the aerospace industry.鈥�

She logged in every day on her home computer to research job listings, dressed as if she was headed to an office. She sought career counseling. She joined virtual seminars to learn new software and online tools she knew she鈥檇 need to master if she wanted to break into the field. She learned how to rework her resume to leverage her relevant skills.

Her strategy and persistence paid off. She got a call back for a fire protection systems engineer position on base at Kennedy Space Center.

Finding Her Place in Space

On her first day at KSC, she attended a briefing where they discussed etiquette while serving on the console. She says it took her a moment to process what she was hearing.

鈥淚 stayed up to watch Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. I have a photo of myself as a kid standing in front of an Apollo rocket. And you鈥檙e saying you want me to be on the console during a launch?!鈥� she says. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業鈥檓 here. I arrived.鈥� 鈥�

Lendian served on the console for the Artemis I launch in November 2022.

Although she has since retired from her formal position with KSC and moved to Chicago, she is still employed as a part-time consultant and will be there again for Artemis II managing the fire protection systems on the launchpad.

Finishing What She Started

Her late-stage career change inspired her to consider other dreams she had yet to realize. A big one has been nearly 50 years in the making.

Lendian was 19 years old when she attempted college the first time. She enrolled in the University of South Florida鈥檚 electrical engineering program in the late 1970s. But after three years, she stopped her studies because she got married and needed to support her new family.

In 2021, she decided to resuscitate her dream of a college degree. She transferred her old credits into the program at Eastern Florida State College, earned her associate鈥檚 degree and looked to enroll in one of 麻豆原创 Online鈥檚 degree programs so she could manage school with her full-time job.

The history degree she is working toward is affiliated with one of the top online institutions. 麻豆原创 ranks No. 6 for Online Bachelor鈥檚 Programs nationally according to the U.S. News & World Report.

鈥淚 want that bachelor鈥檚 degree,鈥� Lendian says. 鈥淚 am doing this for me. I am going to do something that I love (history). And I am going to graduate.鈥�

Nov. 13, 2025, 3:55 p.m.听Jillian Gloria 鈥�22听stands on a balcony at Blue Origin headquarters in Cape Canaveral, Florida, her eyes fixed on the horizon at Launch Complex 36 鈥� the very launchpad her grandfather helped construct as a NASA engineer in the 1960s.

Engines ignite. Gloria鈥檚 breath catches as she wills the rocket to climb. Then she hears those crucial words: 鈥淟iftoff detected. New Glenn has cleared the tower.鈥�

The Blue Origin rocket scientist has just witnessed the launch of her first NASA mission. It鈥檚 a goal the Orlando native has dreamed about since childhood; one marked by visions of the space shuttle soaring upward as she commuted to school and the roar of sonic booms when it returned to Earth鈥檚 atmosphere.

What makes this milestone even more rewarding is the determination, the hard work and the relentless tenacity it took her to get here.

鈥淵our dreams are possible,鈥� Gloria says. 鈥淎ll you need is passion and persistence. As long as you keep going, you can do anything in this world. You鈥檙e always going to end up where you鈥檙e meant to be.鈥�

鈥淵ou鈥檒l Never Graduate鈥�

Gloria鈥檚 college journey began outside of Florida despite the numerous space-related research and partnerships available in her backyard at 麻豆原创. Like many of her peers, she thought she had to branch out from her hometown to gain the most out of her college experience.

She realized quickly she had made a mistake.

Not long after arriving at the University in Texas at Arlington, an academic advisor told her she would never graduate with an engineering degree if she started her academic career in algebra. She would need an additional 1.5 years of math and science classes alone before she could set foot in an engineering class.

Rather than catch up on the mathematics education and credits she needed to pursue engineering, he advised she鈥檇 be better off going after 鈥渟omething more realistic for her current path like a business degree.鈥�

鈥淎s an impressionable 18-19 year old, you listen to your adviser, right?鈥� she says. 鈥淚 just remember dropping the business class a few weeks in because I thought, 鈥楾his is not what I want to do, and I don鈥檛 care how long it takes me, I鈥檓 going to do get an engineering degree.鈥� 鈥�

Opportunity Comes Calling

She course-corrected and enrolled in the program at Valencia College. Valencia provided her the academic resources and tutoring she needed to overcome her initial struggles in math and science.

In 2018 ahead of transferring to 麻豆原创, she applied to the Central Florida Physics Research Exchange Program, a former initiative for undergraduate students to participate in a 10-week funded research project over the summer with 麻豆原创鈥檚 physics department.

She remembers doubting her chances of acceptance. After all, she was an aspiring aerospace engineer, not a true physics major. But the program came with the promise of $5,000, and for someone who was working her way through school, what did she have to lose?

As part of her application, she wrote a compelling letter to Professor of Physics William Kaden about his space weathering effects research for NASA and how much she鈥檇 love the chance to work in his lab.

The letter worked. Kaden would go on to become Gloria鈥檚 mentor throughout her 2.5 years at 麻豆原创 and kickstarted her hand in research that yielded projects on finding water on the moon, collaborations with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), work with 麻豆原创鈥檚 and a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021 in the听Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology.

鈥淭he world of research at 麻豆原创 really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after.鈥� 鈥� Jillian Gloria 鈥�22, Blue Origin engineer

鈥淭he world of research at 麻豆原创 really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after,鈥� says Gloria, who keeps her senior-year textbook Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Second Edition on her office desk. 鈥淚 worked with industry hardware, a vacuum chamber that鈥檚 worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at NASA, flew a payload on a Masten Space Systems Xodiac rocket to track rocket plumes during launch and landing on the moon. I was a published author before I graduated. It all was such an amazing opportunity. That was the first time when I felt like I was actually doing the work I had dreamed about. The things I was exposed to at 麻豆原创 really 听just opened my eyes onto what鈥檚 available out there in terms of my career.鈥�

Building a Road to Space

Since graduating in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs (Atlas V, Delta Heavy, Vulcan Centaur) at United Launch Alliance as a propulsion systems test engineer.

In January 2025, she joined the Blue Origin team as an integrated vehicle test engineer, specializing in the integration, testing, refurbishment, and optimization of complex fluid and pneumatic systems for her fourth launch vehicle, New Glenn.

In other words, she validates the build of the rocket, ensuring its integrity and functionality through every build stage before launch.

She is energized every day by the opportunities available to her to grow and learn within the company, who in addition to their rocket program is also developing a lunar lander and space station.

鈥淭his work matters. It鈥檚 the future.鈥� 鈥� Jillian Gloria

鈥�We鈥檙e all working together for the benefit of Earth, and you feel it every day you go to work at Blue Origin,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his work matters. It鈥檚 the future, it鈥檚 the next generation launch vehicle, and it just plays a hand in Blue鈥檚 mission statement that we want to build a road to space.鈥�

Every milestone they hit 鈥� like the recent successful launch and first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket that ferried NASA鈥檚 twin ESCAPADE spacecraft to begin their journey to Mars 鈥� helps get them closer to that goal.

While current generations may not see it, she knows the work she is doing at Blue Origin is developing the infrastructure for future generations who will one day consistently travel to and live on other celestial bodies.

鈥淭he stars are the final frontier. It calls to us,鈥� Gloria says. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 really explain it, but when you look up at the sky, it kind of touches your soul. It just makes me feel more connected to something that鈥檚 so far away and so beautiful. It鈥檚 everything.鈥�

麻豆原创 Trustee Chair Subith Vasu and postdoctoral scholar Justin Urso 鈥�15 鈥�22PhD have been awarded a $750,000 grant from NASA to study the effects that AAM may have on communities. The 麻豆原创 researchers have partnered with Ocala International Airport on this project, which will specifically explore the effects of pollution and noise on the surrounding neighborhoods.

鈥淲e partnered with Ocala International Airport because of the air traffic around that community,鈥� Vasu says. 鈥淎nything that flies makes noise, and it can be annoying for residents. We鈥檙e looking at how to minimize the risk so the community isn鈥檛 bothered.鈥�

Ocala International Airport was a prime partner due to its potential for implementation. Vertiports are the specialized launch pads for electrical air vehicles such as drones and air taxis. Companies like Amazon are interested in using AAM technology for fast and convenient home deliveries while organizations like NASA aim to develop this new transportation system that will deliver both goods and people around the world, safely and efficiently.

鈥淚f you live in Ocala and want to take a flight to Europe, California or New York, where do you go?鈥� Vasu says. 鈥淭he Tampa and Orlando airports are two hours away by car. Depending on where you live, AAM can be very helpful.鈥�

Urso says we could see the development of a vertiport at the Ocala International Airport by 2035. The City of Orlando also has a vested interest in AAM and is working with NASA to develop an air transportation system plan. Vasu says, in the future, they may expand their project to include Orlando International Airport.

An additional partner on the project is Yingru Li, a professor of sociology at 麻豆原创, who will conduct community assessments to provide important data on the City of Ocala. Vasu says the goal is to put 麻豆原创 at the forefront of this developing industry.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of opportunity within AAM for 麻豆原创 and the state of Florida,鈥� Vasu says. 鈥淲e just want to push 麻豆原创 as a leader in that field.鈥�

That philosophy has landed the 麻豆原创 industrial and organizational psychology doctoral candidate on a mountain in the middle of a blizzard during an Arctic ski trip. It鈥檚 what has encouraged him to complete 50-mile ultramarathons. And it鈥檚 a big part of what is pushing him into his next big endeavor: rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the , 1,736 rowers have successfully crossed an ocean as of November 2025. Exponentially more people (over 7,000) have summited Mount Everest.

Motivated by the pursuit of a life well lived, and for the betterment of his research into optimizing teamwork in isolated, confined and extreme environments like outer , K盲osaar has every intention of adding his name to that exclusive list despite what his team is up against.

They are not experienced sailors or fishermen. In fact, in their everyday lives they are a wood chemist, a geneticist, a psychologist and a banker who had never held an oar in their hands until three years ago when they committed to this goal.

鈥淲e just have one life. We have to allow ourselves to dream, even if they seem wild.鈥� 鈥� Andres K盲osaar, 麻豆原创 student

They had not attempted to actually row on the Atlantic, whose waves can measure up to 20 feet high, until a few days ago when they performed a test run ahead of their official embarkment Dec. 11.

Their 30-foot-by-5-foot vessel must be self-sustaining with enough food and provisions to withstand a 5,000-calorie/day diet over their 3,000-mile voyage westward. There is no getting off the boat once the endeavor has started. If an emergency dictates otherwise, they will forfeit their journey.

They intend to row in pairs in two-hour time blocks. That鈥檚 12 hours of rowing a day, with never more than a two-hour break in between shifts, for 40 days straight.

The challenges 鈥� and potential glory 鈥� ahead are as vast and wide as the ocean itself.

鈥淲e just have one life. We have to allow ourselves to dream, even if they seem wild,鈥� K盲osaar says. 鈥淚f someone asks me if I would like to do something extraordinary, I can’t say no.鈥�

What It Takes to Row the Ocean

Races across the Atlantic have been formally organized since 1997, and since 2015, the World鈥檚 Toughest Row Atlantic competition has been held annually every December.

In 2025, more than 30 teams and another 10 individuals in solo boats will participate in the challenge. K盲osaar鈥檚 team, Team Rowtalia, will be on the starting line Dec. 11, in San Sebastian de la Gomera, Canary Islands, when they push off for English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda.

鈥淭he race organizers actually say that 80% of the whole endeavor is getting to the starting line,鈥� K盲osaar says. 鈥淭he rowing itself is the easy part. There is nothing else to do. There is nothing to think about anymore. You just have to cross the ocean.鈥�

K盲osaar learned about the World鈥檚 Toughest Row three years ago when a friend in his home country of Estonia approached him with the idea to enter the race. His now teammate prepared a 30-minute presentation to sell him on the idea.

K盲osaar isn鈥檛 easily intimidated. He spent a month in Antarctica for research earlier this year. He was willing to say yes 60 seconds into his buddy鈥檚 presentation, but he politely sat through the full pitch before agreeing. They decided to recruit two of their former fraternity members 鈥渂old and na茂ve enough鈥� to join their daring mission.

They found a coach to teach them the rowing technique since none of them had any experience. They raised $163,000 of their $184,000 goal, which includes the cost of the boat they purchased in May. They accumulated 200 hours of individual training time on the Baltic Sea, with more than half of those hours accumulated during a five-day practice session. Most of their training has been done on indoor rowing machines.

They have listened to podcasts of former ocean-crossers to get a sense of what to expect. Their biggest takeaway: 鈥淲hile it’s going to be hard, you鈥檙e there to get the experience. Just try to enjoy it.鈥�

They also prepared with a team-building trip to the Finnish Arctic, camping in a tent in remote snowfields for six days to pressure test how they worked as a team in such a harsh environment.

K盲osaar鈥檚 field of research and the expertise he has gained in his years studying at 麻豆原创 make him uniquely suited to navigate how their team dynamic and effectiveness will be impacted by factors like emotions, personalities and situational behaviors that will inevitably reveal themselves under such environmental strain.

While they each have their individual motivations and aspirations for this endeavor, they have also discussed their shared vision as a unit. One definition of a successful mission, K盲osaar points out, is solely focused on the optimization of the desired outcome. A team could despise each other and the experience throughout the entire process, never wanting to interact with their teammates again once the mission is complete, but still be considered successful if the goal is completed.

K盲osaar likes to define a successful team more holistically.

鈥淚 think a better way of looking at it is to think about this concept of team viability; do we think that in the future we could work again successfully?鈥� he says. 鈥淥ur ultimate goal is that we hope to cross the ocean such that we are willing and able to do that again in the next few years with the same team.鈥�

Ocean Tides to Outer Space

Part of what makes this journey so appealing to K盲osaar is the insight and street cred he will gain in his field and research subjects.

The psychology behind teamwork in isolated, confined and extreme environments applies to fields with life-and-death stakes on the line: think submariners, certain military deployments, oil riggers and his specialties, astronauts and Antarctic-based researchers.

K盲osaar first zeroed in on this specialized field as a clinical psychology graduate student in Estonia as he wrote a cover letter applying for a European Space Agency internship.

鈥淚 was thinking in space we have astronauts, we have people, so we need psychologists,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 realized that that鈥檚 me. That鈥檚 what I want to do. That鈥檚 my life. My eyes went big and I was like, 鈥榃ow, OK, let’s go.鈥� 听From that moment I started dedicating my life and time toward that.鈥�

As he looked for research opportunities, he came across Research Professor Shawn Burke at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Institute of Simulation and Training, whose work in team leadership and resiliency has been funded by powerhouse names including the U.S. Army Research Institute, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Office of Naval Research, the U.S. National Science Foundation, DARPA and NASA.

Since joining her lab in 2021, he has contributed to two NASA research grants, once an unfathomable dream that has now become his reality. He credits Burke for molding him into a confident researcher who has grown considerably from his immersive experiences.

鈥淲ithout 麻豆原创 being so big in its focus on the space field, seeing rockets launching in the evening when I’m driving home, just this widening of understanding what鈥檚 [achievable] 鈥� I think this has been something that wouldn鈥檛 be possible without being exactly here,鈥� K盲osaar says.

He hopes this rowing challenge will build upon the practical skills he has gained at 麻豆原创 for his future research by providing him with firsthand knowledge of the isolation and extreme circumstances his astronaut subjects in space work through.

鈥淚 don’t think I would be able to fully understand the participants of the studies or the subjects we鈥檙e studying without putting myself in that situation and really being like, 鈥極K, that’s what you guys feel,鈥� 鈥� K盲osaar says.

With his impending graduation in the spring, K盲osaar is looking forward to continuing his work, making real contributions and impact to this next frontier of space exploration.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to use the cliche words of becoming interplanetary species, but that鈥檚 basically what we are thinking about. I think this could have huge implications for the sustainability of humans in space,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think being able to support those endeavors and support this development of humanity, that鈥檚 a big part of why I do it, and I鈥檓 passionate about it.鈥�

Andres K盲osaar鈥檚 team, Team Rowtalia, will have solar-powered internet on board. You can follow their journey across the Atlantic on Instagram at .

Founded to reach the moon, we鈥檙e already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America鈥檚 Space University celebrates 麻豆原创 Space Week Nov. 3-7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space

When humans return to the moon, they won鈥檛 be alone. NASA will send robotic machines with them, and like all relationships, trust will be critical.

Through a partnership with Cislune Inc., 麻豆原创 is using immersive technologies to improve trust between humans and artificial intelligence for decision-making in space when circumstances are changing and data remains uncertain 鈥� ultimately ensuring astronaut safety and mission success.

Led by 麻豆原创 Associate Professor Gerd Bruder as principal investigator, Phase I of the project was funded through a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant in which 麻豆原创 collaborated with Cislune to design and build a moon mission simulator. The system was used to refine human decision-making behavior and optimize interactions between astronauts and autonomous systems across the mission timeline.

The project aims to help reduce cognitive workload for astronauts while enhancing critical data, such as breathable oxygen levels, propellant stores and rover range. It鈥檚 also an example of how Knights are developing tech solutions that will propel humanity鈥檚 possibilities in space, which 麻豆原创 was founded to fuel.

鈥淚n future lunar missions, humans will be working in concert with highly autonomous machines 鈥� and both will be making decisions while inundated with data from an ever-growing network of sensors and computers,鈥� says Hiroshi Furuya, a 麻豆原创 computer science doctoral student and graduate research assistant who worked on the project.

Cislune provided insights into space mission operations from previous work with space robotics and rovers, while experts from 麻豆原创鈥檚 supplied expertise in using virtual reality (VR) to create immersive simulations. The collaboration highlights how 麻豆原创 often works with industry to generate collective impact.

麻豆原创鈥檚 team leveraged interdisciplinary knowledge from computer science, engineering and human factors in healthcare 鈥� examining decision support systems designed for nurses and medical professionals.

鈥淭he healthcare research gave us an insightful window into how practitioners evaluate systems when risk and time pressure are critical features of the workplace, which has important connections for space health and missions,鈥� says Furuya, who was previously awarded a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship for his graduate studies.

AdventHealth Endowed Chair in Healthcare Simulation , co-director of SREAL, provided insights into factors that influence trust and the design of human subject experiments.

鈥淚 find it fascinating how seemingly subtle changes in how relevant information is conveyed can impact trust and decision making,鈥� says Welch, a computer scientist and engineer in 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Nursing.

The team studied how human-machine trust, uncertainty and decision-making intersect by using VR simulations. The resulting simulator prototype immerses users in a realistic, mission-relevant environment.

The simulator could be crucial not only for the Artemis program, but also for future lunar and deep space exploration missions.

Cislune and 麻豆原创 have submitted a proposal for Phase II of the project, which will expand the simulator and conduct research studies to improve the way machine assistants can help astronauts make decisions under stress and uncertainty.

Greg Autry, who serves as 麻豆原创鈥檚 associate provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy, is nationally recognized for his leadership in space research and innovation, including how the space landscape is evolving with the rapid expansion of private flights.

Autry has been nominated by President Trump to become chief financial officer of NASA. Pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate, he will be responsible for ensuring the financial health of the agency and will oversee all financial management, budget, strategic planning, and performance activities relating to NASA鈥檚 programs and operations.

鈥淥ur space agency has a long history of excellence in financial management, and I am looking forward to joining the incredible team at NASA,鈥� Autry said. 鈥淚 have been honored to help move 麻豆原创鈥檚 incredible space enterprise forward, and I hope to return after my service at NASA.鈥�

Autry, known as 麻豆原创鈥檚 鈥渟pace czar,鈥� is a leading researcher on entrepreneurship. Before joining 麻豆原创 last year, he was director and clinical professor of Space Leadership, Policy and Business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Autry is a visiting professor at Imperial College London. He also serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA鈥檚 In Space Production Applications program (InSPA) which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.

At 麻豆原创, Autry has been working to lead the College of Business鈥� efforts to establish Executive and MBA programs in Space Commercialization while helping the university enhance and expand awareness of its many space programs.

麻豆原创 was founded in 1963 to provide talent for the space industry and today continues to be a top provider of talented graduates and research to a space economy expected to grow to more than $1 trillion in the 2030s and triple that by mid-century.

麻豆原创 is the nation鈥檚 top supplier of graduates to the aerospace and defense industry, according to Aviation Week Network.

鈥淪pace is the most important thing to happen in at least half a millennia,鈥� Autry said. 鈥淲e are charting a new future for humanity, improving the lives of billions, saving our biosphere, making our nation more secure, and creating jobs right now.鈥�

As space travel expands and becomes less exclusive to the wealthiest demographic, it will require more people to be educated and trained in space-specific medicine, business, psychology, science, engineering, even hospitality for cities with launch sites around the world.

鈥淚t won鈥檛 be long before careers are available for anyone like me who always wanted to be involved in space but couldn鈥檛 get into an astronaut program,鈥� Autry says. 鈥淭his is where the preparation will happen, at 麻豆原创, to enter an industry with unlimited potential.鈥�

This strategic collaboration combines Operator Solutions鈥� hands-on operational expertise with 麻豆原创鈥檚 academic and research excellence to develop cutting-edge training programs, pioneer medical research and enhance real-world response capabilities in high-risk environments.

Key Initiatives of the Partnership

The collaboration will drive multiple initiatives aimed at improving medical preparedness in spaceflight and extreme environments.

• Developing Medical Training Modules for Commercial Spaceflight

Operator Solutions and 麻豆原创 will provide specialized training for physicians, paramedics, flight nurses, medical students and resident physicians. The focus will be on triage procedures, in-flight patient care using helicopters and managing mass casualty incidents at sea. Operator Solutions is also developing a medical skills lab at 麻豆原创, where paramedics can master critical techniques such as wound care, fluid resuscitation and stabilization under high-stress conditions. Additionally, trainees will gain hands-on experience in the College of Medicine鈥檚 Anatomy Lab, learning life-saving procedures like chest tube insertion and evisceration treatment.

• Enhancing In-flight Medical Care for Space Travelers

With the number of space travelers increasing and missions lasting longer, Operator Solutions and 麻豆原创 aim to develop new technologies to improve point-of-care medical treatment in space. Their research will focus on ultrasound and telemedicine systems for treating conditions such as kidney stones and blood clots, as well as real-time health monitoring solutions for astronauts 鈥� critical for long-duration missions, including those planned for Mars.

Advancing the Future of Aerospace Medicine

As America鈥檚 Space University, 麻豆原创 is the ideal academic partner for this endeavor. The university was founded to provide talent to fuel the nation鈥檚 space program and today is a national leader in many areas of space research, including developing new technologies for space missions and advancing the health and well-being of space travelers.

This partnership strengthens an unrivaled opportunity for 麻豆原创 students to prepare for careers in this rapidly growing field. 麻豆原创 is creating a new space medicine curriculum that will involve students from many disciplines, including medicine, nursing, engineering, computer science, optics and photonics 鈥� and establishing what will be the nation鈥檚 first master鈥檚 degree in space medicine.

Located in Melbourne, Florida, Operator Solutions combines decades of military, spaceflight and medical expertise to offer operational, rescue and recovery services to government and private companies. Its pararescuers are qualified to offer paramedic-level care anywhere in the world, including parachuting into remote rescue sites. The company specializes in open-ocean rescue of boaters and astronauts and helped develop procedures for astronaut rescue and retrieval for the commercial space program. Its workforce is 100% military veterans.

鈥淭his partnership represents a significant leap forward in aerospace medical training,鈥� says Christopher Lais of Operator Solutions. 鈥淏y combining our hands-on operational expertise with 麻豆原创鈥檚 world-class academic research, we are creating a framework that will shape the future of spaceflight medical preparedness and emergency response.鈥�

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair of at 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine, emphasized the growing importance of aerospace medical training.

鈥淎s commercial space travel expands, ensuring that astronauts, spaceflight crews and emergency responders are equipped with essential medical knowledge and skills is critical,鈥� Urquieta says. 鈥淭his collaboration will push the boundaries of medical science and training, helping us ensure safety and preparedness in extreme environments.鈥�

Urquieta is one of the world鈥檚 foremost leaders in space medicine. He came to 麻豆原创 after serving as chief medical officer of the NASA-funded Translational Institute for Space Health led by the Baylor College of Medicine. His goal is to make 麻豆原创 a model of interdisciplinary medical research focused on improving the health of space travelers and also those on Earth.

Setting the Standard for Space Mission Readiness

By leveraging their combined expertise, Operator Solutions and 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Medicine are establishing new benchmarks in medical education, research and operational readiness for both spaceflight and emergency response. This partnership is poised to transform aerospace medicine, delivering life-saving solutions for the next generation of space missions.

Over its 40-year history, the ASF has awarded scholarships totaling over $9 million to more than 850 students. This year, 71 undergraduate students from 48 U.S. colleges and universities were named Astronaut Scholars, including three exceptional leaders from 麻豆原创.

Abigail Glover

To Abigail Glover, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mechanical engineering student at 麻豆原创, earning a prestigious award like the Astronaut Scholarship represents far more than just financial support. For her, it鈥檚 entry into a network of ambitious individuals sharing her passion for space, engineering and scientific discovery. Glover describes the Astronaut community as 鈥渁 family of like-minded individuals who will always support you.鈥�

Much of Glover鈥檚 research has focused on planetary science. Some of her undergraduate research initiatives include studying the influence of humidity on simulated lunar highlands regolith properties and terra mechanics. Currently, her Honors Undergraduate Thesis is on 鈥淨uantifying the Performance of the SPARTA Toolkit for use in Planetary Regolith Characterization Missions.鈥�

Glover is a project manager with the Regolith Interactions for the Development of Extraterrestrial Rovers (RIDER) program at 麻豆原创鈥檚 , where she coordinates with industry experts and leads a team focused on enhancing technologies for lunar regolith and rover wheel interaction. She has also worked with NASA鈥檚 Exploration Ground Systems 鈥� assisting the Human Systems Integration team in preparing for Artemis II. Beyond her professional experiences, she founded the Lake-Sumter State College Astronomical Society in 2016. She also served as the social media and marketing chair for the 麻豆原创 chapter of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and is the creative chair for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at 麻豆原创.

Glover came to STEM from a background in art and theater, which initially left her feeling like an outsider in the world of engineering and research. In her first semester, she had difficulty adjusting to the demanding load of her STEM classes. With some encouragement from her mother, she returned to 麻豆原创 for her second semester with renewed determination.

鈥淚t has been a long journey of discovering my capabilities and limits, but I wouldn鈥檛 trade it for anything,鈥� she says.

Glover鈥檚 courage in asking questions and seeking new opportunities has been a powerful force in her development. A conversation with a professor led her to 麻豆原创鈥檚 Exolith Lab, and a class interview connected her to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program, which set off a chain of experiences she says 鈥渙pened doors to opportunities I would never have thought possible.鈥� Glover has received multiple scholarships and awards throughout her academic career such as the Office of Undergraduate Research Grant, the Pell Grant, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Looking ahead, Glover hopes to contribute to long-term lunar habitation. She envisions herself continuing with lunar regolith research and building systems for sustainable human presence beyond Earth鈥檚 atmosphere. However, Glover鈥檚 past experiences have inspired her to remain adaptable, confident that 鈥渓ife has a funny way of working out.鈥�

Charlotte Moore

With a passion for astronomy and a double major in and physics, Burnett Honors Scholar Charlotte Moore sees research as a way to learn more about the universe. Her research journey began in her first year and has transformed her academic experience, allowing her to build meaningful relationships and discover the collaborative spirit of the STEM community.

With her sights set on a doctoral degree in astronomy, Moore plans to focus on galaxy mergers, especially in tidal features at higher redshifts. 鈥淥nce I finish my Ph.D., I hope to work at a university or other research institution to continue my research,鈥� she says. Currently, Moore is an undergraduate student researcher with Eric Bell from the University of Michigan working on the time constraints of the merger of Centaurus A from the Stellar Halo. She is also an undergraduate researcher with Theodora Karalidi, associate professor of physics at 麻豆原创, working on the impact of optical thickness on the polarization of the light of Jupiter.

Despite her accomplishments, Moore candidly acknowledges the challenge of imposter syndrome.

鈥淭here are very few moments where I haven鈥檛 had doubts about what I鈥檓 doing,鈥� she says.

However, by immersing herself in new topics and projects, she has cultivated a sense of belonging in astronomy. Her hard work was marked by her first official publication, a moment that reinforced that she could make waves in the field of astronomy.

Moore credits her success to the incredible mentors she has encountered along her journey.

鈥淒r. Karalidi has always pushed me to pursue outside opportunities that will help me towards my goal of graduate school,鈥� she says.

Additionally, she has benefited from the experiences of peers who have previously received the Astronaut Scholarship, utilizing their insights as she navigated her application process.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Moore is committed to helping others find their footing in research. As the secretary of the Society of Physics Students, she mentors fellow students, sharing her knowledge and experiences to guide them. Additionally, Moore has received multiple honors and awards, such as the Order of Pegasus in 2024, the Knights Achievement Scholarship, and the Allyn M. Stearman Scholarship. Moore embodies the academic excellence, commitment to community, and passion for discovery that the Astronaut Scholarship seeks to promote.

Luis Santori

As a second-time recipient of the Astronaut Scholarship Luis Santori, a Burnett Honors Scholar and mathematics major, also appreciates the opportunities the ASF community will offer for his growth as a researcher.

鈥淭he doors that the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation opens will be crucial to my career,鈥� he says.

For Santori, the ASF community provides opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow as a researcher.

Santori is an undergraduate research assistant involved in multiple projects, including two with Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove, associate professors in 麻豆原创’s Department of Physics, focusing on lunar craters and lunar regolith. He describes his mentors 鈥� Hanna, Dove, and Professor Eduardo Teixeira from the 麻豆原创 Department of Mathematics 鈥� as instrumental in his growth and development as a researcher.

Santori鈥檚 research journey has been transformative for both his academic and personal development.

鈥淩esearch has fostered personal growth by keeping me curious and introducing me to subjects beyond my curriculum,鈥� he says.

His research experiences have improved his communication skills, something that will be a necessity for him as he continues to promote his work.

Santori has also had to deal with the challenges that come with imposter syndrome, common in research where the uncertainty of discovery can lead to self-doubt. However, he reflects that by recognizing that it鈥檚 not productive to compare his path to the path of others, he has moved beyond this challenge. He also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good work-life balance in sustaining a research career. His ability to work through these challenges and his dedication to his academic career have earned him the Allyn M. Stearman Research Fellowship, the Summer@ICERM 2023 Fellowship, and the 2024 NASA Exploration Science Forum Student Travel Grant.

Looking ahead, Santori plans to apply to doctoral programs in applied mathematics and planetary science, aiming to contribute to advancements in these fields. He is considering a career in academia, national labs or industry. With his passion and resilience, Santori is ready to make meaningful contributions to planetary science and mathematics as he continues on his academic journey as an Astronaut Scholar.

Those interested in the Astronaut Scholarship and other opportunities should reach out to the Office of Prestigious Awards at听OPA@ucf.edu.