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 鲍颁贵鈥檚 , 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 鲍颁贵鈥檚 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.

Over a 10-Earth-day period, the multi-instrument payload built by BAE Systems and Arizona State University (ASU) will gather data on the lunar regolith to understand how it may be used as a resource in future exploration of the lunar surface.

Firefly Aerospace is one of the American vendors NASA is partnering with to deliver payloads to the lunar surface through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. These companies are eligible to bid on NASA contracts, allowing for swift delivery and advanced scientific research and exploration.

鈥淭he CLPS initiative carries out U.S. scientific and technical studies on the surface of the Moon by robot explorers,鈥� said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration and lead of NASA鈥檚 Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office in a . 鈥淎s NASA prepares for future human exploration of the Moon, the CLPS initiative continues to support a growing lunar economy with American companies. Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface.鈥�

Firefly was awarded its fourth task order worth $179 million to deliver six experiments, including Lunar-VISE, to the Gruithuisen Domes on the near side of the Moon in 2028.

Similar silicic volcanic domes on Earth are formed due to properties not observed on the Moon, including plate tectonics and oceans, leaving lunar scientists puzzled on how these mysterious domes formed. The Lunar-VISE science team will take what is learned at the Gruithuisen Domes and what is already known from other silicic volcanic spots on the Moon to reconstruct the history of its evolution and volcanism.

鈥淲e are beginning to have actual hardware and are building our instruments, and now we know how we will get them deployed on the lunar surface and what our rover will look like,鈥� says Lunar-VISE鈥檚 co-investigator Jessica Sunshine, a professor of astronomy and geology at the University of Maryland. 鈥淲hat started as a concept and then figures in a proposal is now amazingly really happening. While the project has a lot of work to do, particularly as we integrate with Firefly, this marks a new exciting phase that gets us tantalizingly close to going from paper to the Moon.鈥�

In the upcoming year, the Lunar-VISE team anticipates the final check, or the System Integration and Acceptance Reviews (SIR), in August to ensure all components are suitable听 and safe for intended operations.

鈥淚鈥檓 very proud of our Lunar-VISE team in developing, building, and testing our payload instruments and getting us ready for integration onto Firefly鈥檚 Ghost lunar lander and rover,鈥� says Principal Investigator Kerri Donaldson Hanna, an associate professor in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Department of Physics. 鈥淭he Lunar-VISE team is excited to work with Firefly to plan our science and exploration operations at the Gruithuisen Domes in 2028.鈥�

The findings, published today in , reveal the distribution of ices in the early solar system and how TNOs evolve when they travel inward into the region of the giant planets between Jupiter and Saturn, becoming centaurs.

TNOs are small bodies, or 鈥榩lanetesimals,鈥� orbiting the sun beyond Pluto. They never accreted into planets, and serve as pristine time capsules, preserving crucial evidence of the molecular processes and planetary migrations that shaped the solar system billions of years ago. These solar system objects are like icy asteroids and have orbits comparable to or larger than Neptune鈥檚 orbit.

Prior to the new 麻豆原创-led study, TNOs were known to be a diverse population based on their orbital properties and surface colors, but the molecular composition of these objects remained poorly understood. For decades, this lack of detailed knowledge hindered interpretation of their color and dynamical diversity. Now, the new results unlock the long-standing question of the interpretation of color diversity by providing compositional information.

鈥淲ith this new research, a more-complete picture of the diversity is presented and the pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together,鈥� says Noem铆 Pinilla-Alonso, the study鈥檚 lead author.

鈥淔or the very first time, we have identified the specific molecules responsible for the remarkable diversity of spectra, colors and albedo observed in trans-Neptunian objects,鈥� Pinilla-Alonso says. 鈥淭hese molecules 鈥� like water ice, carbon dioxide, methanol and complex organics 鈥� give us a direct connection between the spectral features of TNOs and their chemical compositions.鈥�

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the researchers found that TNOs can be categorized into three distinct compositional groups, shaped by ice retention lines that existed in the era when the solar system formed billions of years ago.

These lines are identified as regions where temperatures were cold enough for specific ices to form and survive within the protoplanetary disk. These regions, defined by their distance from the sun, mark key points in the early solar system’s temperature gradient and offer a direct link between the formation conditions of planetesimals and their present-day compositions.

Rosario Brunetto, the paper鈥檚 second author and a Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique researcher at the Institute d’Astrophysique Spatiale (Universit茅 Paris-Saclay), says the results are the first clear connection between formation of planetesimals in the protoplanetary disk and their later evolution. The work sheds light on how today鈥檚 observed spectral and dynamical distributions emerged in a planetary system that鈥檚 shaped by complex dynamical evolution, he says.

鈥淭he compositional groups of TNOs are not evenly distributed among objects with similar orbits,鈥� Brunetto says. 鈥淔or instance, cold classicals, which formed in the outermost regions of the protoplanetary disk, belong exclusively to a class dominated by methanol and complex organics. In contrast, TNOs on orbits linked to the Oort cloud, which originated closer to the giant planets, are all part of the spectral group characterized by water ice and silicates.鈥�

Brittany Harvison, a 麻豆原创 physics doctoral student who worked on the project while studying under Pinilla-Alonso, says the three groups defined by their surface compositions exhibit qualities hinting at the protoplanetary disk’s compositional structure.

鈥淭his supports our understanding of the available material that helped form outer solar system bodies such as the gas giants and their moons or Pluto and the other inhabitants of the trans-Neptunian region,鈥� she says.

In a , the researchers found unique spectral signatures, different from TNOs, that reveal the presence of dusty regolith mantles on their surfaces.

This finding about centaurs, which are TNOs that have shifted their orbits into the region of the giant planets after a close gravitational encounter with Neptune, helps illuminate how TNOs become centaurs as they warm up when getting closer to the sun and sometimes develop comet-like tails.

Their work revealed that all observed centaur surfaces showed special characteristics when compared with the surfaces of TNOs, suggesting modifications occurred as a consequence of their journey into the inner solar system.

Among the three classes of TNO surface types, two 鈥� Bowl and Cliff 鈥� were observed in the centaur population, both of which are poor in volatile ices, Pinilla-Alonso says.

However, in centaurs, these surfaces show a distinguishing feature: they are covered by a layer of dusty regolith intermixed with the ice, she says.

鈥淚ntriguingly, we identify a new surface class, nonexistent among TNOs, resembling ice poor surfaces in the inner solar system, cometary nuclei and active asteroids,鈥� she says.

Javier Licandro, senior researcher at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC, Tenerife, Spain) and lead author of the centaur鈥檚 work says the spectral diversity observed in centaurs is broader than expected, suggesting that existing models of their thermal and chemical evolution may need refinement.

For instance, the variety of organic signatures and the degree of irradiation effects observed were not fully anticipated, Licandro says.

鈥淭he diversity detected in the centaurs populations in terms of water, dust, and complex organics suggests varied origins in the TNO population and different evolutionary stages, highlighting that centaurs are not a homogenous group but rather dynamic and transitional objects鈥� Licandro says. 鈥淭he effects of thermal evolution observed in the surface composition of centaurs are key to establishing the relationship between TNOs and other small bodies populations, such as the irregular satellites of the giant planets and their Trojan asteroids.鈥�

Study co-author Charles Schambeau, a planetary scientist with 鲍颁贵鈥檚 (FSI) who specializes in studying centaurs and comets, emphasized the importance of the observations and that some centaurs can be classified into the same categories as the DiSCo-observed TNOs.

鈥淭his is pretty profound because when a TNO transitions into a centaur, it experiences a warmer environment where surface ices and materials are changed,鈥� Schambeau says. 鈥淎pparently, though, in some cases the surface changes are minimal, allowing individual centaurs to be linked to their parent TNO population. The TNO versus centaur spectral types are different, but similar enough to be linked.”

How the Research Was Performed

The studies are part of the Discovering the Surface Composition of the trans-Neptunian Objects, (DiSCo) project, led by Pinilla-Alonso, to uncover the molecular composition of TNOs. Pinilla-Alonso is now a distinguished professor with the Institute of Space Science and Technology in Asturias at the Universidad de Oviedo and performed the work as a planetary scientist with FSI.

For the studies, the researchers used the JWST, launched almost three years ago, that provided unprecedented views of the molecular diversity of the surfaces of the TNOs and centaurs through near-infrared observations, overcoming the limitations of terrestrial observations and other available instruments.

For the TNOs study, the researchers measured the spectra of 54 TNOs using the JWST, capturing detailed light patterns of these objects. By analyzing these high-sensitivity spectra, the researchers could identify specific molecules on their surface. Using clustering techniques, the TNOs were categorized into three distinct groups based on their surface compositions. The groups were nicknamed “Bowl,” “Double-dip” and “Cliff” due to the shapes of their light absorption patterns.

They found that:

• Bowl-type TNOs made up 25% of the sample and were characterized by strong water ice absorptions and a dusty surface. They showed clear signs of crystalline water ice and had low reflectivity, indicating the presence of dark, refractory materials.
• Double-dip TNOs accounted for 43% of the sample and showed strong carbon dioxide (CO2) bands and some signs of complex organics.
• Cliff-type TNOs made up 32% of the sample and had strong signs of complex organics, methanol, and nitrogen-bearing molecules, and were the reddest in color.

For the centaurs study, the researchers observed and analyzed the reflectance spectra of five centaurs (52872 Okyrhoe, 3253226 Thereus, 136204, 250112 and 310071). This allowed them to identify the surface compositions of the centaurs, revealing considerable diversity among the observed sample.

They found that Thereus and 2003 WL7 belong to the Bowl-type, while 2002 KY14 belongs to the Cliff-type. The remaining two centaurs, Okyrhoe and 2010 KR59, did not fit into any existing spectral classes and were categorized as “Shallow-type” due to their unique spectra. This newly defined group is characterized by a high concentration of primitive, comet-like dust and little to no volatile ices.

Previous Research and Next Steps

Pinilla-Alonso says that previous DiSCo research revealed the presence of carbon oxides widespread on the surfaces of TNOs, which was a significant discovery.

鈥淣ow, we build on that finding by offering a more comprehensive understanding of TNO surfaces鈥� she says. 鈥淥ne of the big realizations is that water ice, previously thought to be the most abundant surface ice, is not as prevalent as we once assumed. Instead, carbon dioxide (CO鈧�) 鈥� a gas at Earth鈥檚 temperature 鈥� and other carbon oxides, such as the super volatile carbon monoxide (CO), are found in a larger number of bodies.鈥�

The new study鈥檚 findings are only the beginning, Harvison says.

鈥淣ow that we have general information about the identified compositional groups, we have much more to explore and discover,鈥� she says. 鈥淎s a community, we can start exploring the specifics of what produced the groups as we see them today.鈥�

The research was supported by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute.

The TNOs study authors also included Mario De Pr谩 with FSI, 麻豆原创; Bryan Holler with Space Telescope Science Institute; Elsa H茅nault with Universit茅 Paris-Saclay; Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano with 麻豆原创; Vania Lorenzi with Fundacion Galileo Galilei – INAF; Yvonne Pendleton with 麻豆原创; Dale Cruikshank with 麻豆原创; Thomas M眉ller with Max-Planck-Institut f眉r extraterrestrische Physik; John Stansberry with Space Telescope Science Institute; Joshua Emery with Northern Arizona University; Lucas McClure with Northern Arizona University; Aur茅lie Guilbert-Lepoutre with Laboratoire de G茅ologie de Lyon: Terre, Plan猫tes, Environnement; Nuno Peixinho with Instituto de Astrof谋虂sica e Ci锚ncias do Espa莽o, Departamento de F谋虂sica, Universidade de Coimbra; Michele Bannister with University of Canterbury; and Ian Wong with the Space Telescope Science Institute.

The centaurs study authors also included Bryan Holler with Space Telescope Science Institute; M谩rio N. De Pr谩 with FSI, 麻豆原创; Mario Melita with Instituto de Astronom铆a y F铆sica del Espacio (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Astron贸micas y Geof铆sicas (UNLP), Instituto de Tecnolog铆a e Ingenier铆a (UNAHUR); Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano with FSI, 麻豆原创; Rosario Brunetto with Universit茅 Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut d鈥橝strophysique Spatiale; Aur茅lie Guilbert-Lepoutre with Laboratoire de G茅ologie de Lyon: Terre, Plan猫tes, Environnement, UMR5276 CNRS, UCBL, ENSL; Elsa H茅nault with Universit茅 Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut d鈥橝strophysique Spatiale; Vania Lorenzi with Fundaci贸n Galileo Galilei-INAF, Instituto de Astrof铆sica de Canarias (IAC); John A. Stansberry with Space Telescope Science Institute, Northern Arizona University, Lowell Observatory; Brittany Harvison with FSI, 麻豆原创; Yvonne J. Pendleton with 麻豆原创, Department of Physics; Dale P. Cruikshank with 麻豆原创, Department of Physics; Thomas M眉ller with Max-Planck-Institut f眉r extraterrestrische Physik; Lucas McClure with Northern Arizona University; Joshua P. Emery with Northern Arizona University; Nuno Peixinho with Instituto de Astrof铆sica e Ci锚ncias do Espa莽o, Departamento de F铆sica, Universidade de Coimbra; Michele T. Bannister with University of Canterbury, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences 鈥� Te Kura Mat奴; Ian Wong with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, American University.

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听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.

The work is funded by a new $1.3 million award from the W.M. Keck Foundation, one of the nation鈥檚 largest philanthropic organizations, and the team includes researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, New York University and University of California, Riverside.

The researchers aim to fix a longstanding problem in today鈥檚 electronics 鈥� energy inefficiency.

Today鈥檚 electronics, from smartphones to electric cars, generate large amounts of heat as electrical currents flow through their components. This heat not only wastes energy but also damages devices over time.

The researchers are addressing this challenge by developing materials that allow electricity to move through devices without creating heat, potentially transforming how technology is built and powered.

鈥淜eck funds projects that are inherently very high risk, but that if successful, could represent a scientific or technological breakthrough of the utmost impact in society,鈥� Del Barco says. 鈥淭his is certainly the case, as we aim at validating a theoretical proposal by one of our team members that promises a new way of processing information without energy waste.鈥�

Current forecasts predict that most of the energy consumed in the world within the next couple of decades will be employed in data processing, and that 99.99% of it is wasted in heat due to existing inefficient electronic processes, Del Barco says.

鈥淚f we succeed, it could become a long-term solution for humankind and the way we consume our natural resources,鈥� he says.

Cutting-edge Approach

The researchers are exploring intrinsic magnetic topological insulators, special materials that enable the control of magnetism using electricity with minimal heat generation. Their approach is unique because they are developing methods to harness the magnetic properties of these materials to influence electron spin, a fundamental aspect of spintronics devices such as hard drives and magnetic sensors.

This innovative use of intrinsic magnetic topological insulators in spintronic devices could lead to faster, more energy-efficient electronics with reduced heat generation and power consumption, thereby improving the performance of devices like smartphones and computers.

About the Research Team

The project is led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, each contributing specialized expertise. Del Barco will oversee high-frequency spin dynamics studies. Simranjeet Singh from Carnegie Mellon University will focus on developing 2D-based devices and conducting electrical and magnetic characterization. Andrew Kent from New York University will conduct experiments to study the self-torques acting on the magnetic order in topological insulator materials that are the focus of the project. Ran Cheng from the University of California, Riverside, is the author of the theoretical proposal that this project is based on and will conduct theoretical modeling and computational research on magnetic topological insulators.

鈥淭his is a very prestigious award,鈥� Del Barco says. 鈥溌槎乖� has only been awarded it once before ours, which makes me particularly happy about it, as I like to see 麻豆原创 becoming more prominent, and these awards provide institutional visibility.鈥�

Researcher鈥檚 Credentials

Del Barco received his doctoral degree in condensed matter physics from the University of Barcelona in Spain. He worked as a postdoctoral associate in the physics department at New York University before joining 麻豆原创 in 2005.

About the W.听M.听Keck Foundation

The W.听M.听Keck Foundation was established in 1954 in Los Angeles by William Myron Keck, founder of The Superior Oil Company.听One of the nation鈥檚 largest philanthropic organizations, the W.听M.听Keck Foundation supports outstanding science, engineering and medical research.听The Foundation also supports undergraduate education and maintains a program within Southern California to support arts and culture, education, health and community service projects.

Fang, who is an assistant professor in within the College of Sciences, is using the CAREER award to study the precise movement of electrons induced by light and to help educate others in her field.

Yao is an assistant professor in within the College of Engineering and Computer Science and a member of the Cyber Security and Privacy faculty cluster. He鈥檒l use his CAREER award to identify lapses in computer processing security at the micro level and find ways to defend against them.

The annual award supports an estimated 500 early-career STEM faculty from either institutes of higher education or academic nonprofit organizations who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.

Through their NSF CAREER awards, both Fang and Yao are continuing to build upon their research and contribute to key components of their respective fields.

Capturing Energy in a Fraction of a Second

Li Fang
Department of Physics
Title: Photo-induced Ultrafast Electron-nuclear Dynamics in Molecules
Award: $813,981 over five years

Li Fang is examining some of the smallest components of matter in some of the shortest amounts of time.

She studies how electrons move after their initial absorption of photo-energy as they attempt to interact, break or form a bond with other molecular components. The purpose of examining these molecular dynamics is crucial in better understanding physics and energy, Fang says.

鈥淭he dynamics of these charged particles will provide fundamental knowledge about energy absorption, dissipation and rearrangement in building blocks of materials and therefore is relevant to energy storage and harvest,鈥� Fang says. 鈥淲e implement spectroscopic tools to track the extremely fast motion of these charges. An electron鈥檚 motion is the first step in all chemical and photo reactions and ions are the subjects of chemical bonds that exist basically in all materials.鈥�

Fang measures these movements in attoseconds and femtoseconds, which are one billion billionths of a second and one million billionths of a second, respectively.

Attoseconds are the natural time scale for electrons moving inside an atom while femtoseconds are the natural time scale for measuring nuclei moving within a molecule.

Fang鈥檚 NSF CAREER project will help her further uncover and measure how light can instigate changes at the molecular level and then share her research with the greater scientific community.

鈥淭he goal is to understand the ultrafast electron motion induced by intense laser beams and its correlation with the motion of the nuclei in a molecule,鈥� she says. 鈥淎n equally important part of my NSF CAREER award is the educational subproject, the goal of which is to introduce my research field 鈥榰ltrafast science鈥� to a broader audience through media and local events.鈥�

Fang came to 麻豆原创 in 2020 from the Ohio State University.

Since arriving, she has garnered significant funding and support for her projects. In 2020, Fang was one of 76 recipients 鈥� and the only recipient from Florida 鈥� to be awarded an early career research program grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

She also was instrumental in securing NSF funding of nearly $2 million for a powerful laser in 2021, aiming to build a user facility at 麻豆原创 to continue studying electrons and molecular bonds using precise measurements in attoseconds.

Fang says it was extremely gratifying to earn her NSF CAREER award, and it represents a culmination of her previous scientific endeavors.

鈥淚t definitely fit into my career and will help me fulfill my goals as a researcher and an educator,鈥� she says.

Fang is thankful for the assistance of her peers and collaborators in cultivating her studies and developing her NSF CAREER proposal.

鈥淭he NSF CAREER program at 麻豆原创 organized by Saiful Khondaker is very helpful with improving the writing of the educational subproject, which is crucial to the NSF CAREER project,鈥� she says.

麻豆原创 has provided Fang with the opportunity to excel in her research, and she anticipates many more impactful discoveries to come.

鈥淚 am looking forward to carrying out real scientific experiments and discovering new findings with the state-of-the-art lasers and the spectroscopy systems we have,鈥� Fang says. 鈥淕etting a prestigious CAREER award is just the start.鈥�

Fan Yao
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Title: Understanding and Ensuring Secure-by-design Microarchitecture in Modern Era of Computing
Award: $556,875

Effective computer system security requires searching high and low within its infrastructure to address vulnerabilities that could be overlooked and exploited.

Fan Yao has dedicated his research to thoroughly poring through potential weaknesses within the architectural and microarchitectural designs of computing and memory units to see how they can be safeguarded against malicious hacks and data breaches.

鈥淚n today’s interconnected digital landscape, we depend on computing devices to store and process our sensitive and personal data,鈥� he says. 鈥淕iven that hardware forms the foundational bedrock of all computing systems, its security is paramount. A computer with compromised hardware security is akin to a skyscraper built on shaky ground.鈥�

Specifically, Yao is using his NSF CAREER project to examine computer processors and analyze side channel leakage, which is compromised access to information or infrastructure through indirect means.

鈥淭hrough the automation of microarchitectural security analysis, we aim to uncover hidden hardware-level states prone to leakage, as well as to develop software-level patterns that can exploit these vulnerabilities to quantify their leakage potential,鈥� he says. 鈥淪ubsequently, the project will focus on designing robust defense strategies to prevent microarchitectural information leakage, thereby ensuring stronger protection for future generations of processors.鈥�

The awarded funds will continue to catalyze Yao鈥檚 research and allow him to further challenge the limits of computer security. He is hopeful that the results will serve as an educational cornerstone to both aspiring students and his peers, he says.

鈥淭his grant allows us to explore innovative security solutions more deeply and to train the next generation of researchers in this critical field,鈥� Yao says. 听鈥淭his award fits perfectly into my career goals, as it enables me to establish a sustainable research program that can make meaningful contributions to both academia and industry.鈥�

Yao arrived at 麻豆原创 in the fall of 2018 after receiving his doctoral degree in computer engineering from the George Washington University.

The support and mentorship from 鲍颁贵鈥檚 academic community and administration at 麻豆原创 has been crucial to helping him achieve his research aspirations, he says.

鈥溌槎乖� has been extremely supportive in junior faculty career development,鈥� Yao says. 鈥淢any of the preliminary results for this project were achieved through experiments facilitated by this support. I am also profoundly grateful for the comprehensive assistance received during the development of this proposal. This includes invaluable guidance from the 麻豆原创 CAREER mentoring program and the insightful feedback on my proposal provided by senior faculty members in our department.鈥�

Yao is proud to have been awarded an NSF CAREER grant, and says he is excited to further his research.

鈥淩eceiving the NSF CAREER grant is an incredible honor and a pivotal moment in my career,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t not only validates the importance and potential impact of our work on microarchitecture security, but also provides a substantial platform to expand our research efforts.鈥�

Harvison recently pored through a library of infrared telescope data to analyze the spectral composition of 25 members of the Erigone family of primitive asteroids and help fill in the gaps in our understanding of the creation of our solar system.

The data on the Erigone asteroids, which are located in the main asteroid belt found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, was collected as part of the PRIMitive Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey (PRIMASS) project co-led by 麻豆原创 planetary scientist Noem铆 Pinilla-Alonso.

Harvison鈥檚 work, which was published recently in the journal Icarus, lays the foundation for future research, and may get scientists closer to concluding if asteroids brought water to Earth and if so, how much.

鈥淭here are theories that the Earth could have received a fraction of its water from primitive asteroids in the early Solar System,鈥� says Harvison, who is also a researcher at the . 鈥淎 big portion of these theories is understanding how these primitive asteroids were transported into Earth鈥檚 path. So, exploring primitive asteroids in the Solar System today could help paint a picture of what was going on all those years ago.鈥�

Some of these cosmic travelers, including the asteroids within the Erigone family, have hydrated silicates. The existing hydrated bodies that continue to move throughout our solar system could tell us more about those that collided with Earth.

It is one of the many outstanding questions that Harvison鈥檚 work is hoping to address.

鈥淲e mainly wanted to see if there were primitive asteroid families similar to the Erigone and Polana asteroid families,鈥� Harvison says. 鈥淲e used spectroscopy to study what kinds of minerals were on the surface to understand their composition.鈥�

From the study, Harvison and her co-authors saw that the Erigone and Polana families are different from one another听in the near infrared but that the other primitive families have their own levels of red color in their spectral distribution along with their own unique levels of hydration.

In other words, the primitive families in the inner solar system show a variety of redness and hydration. The analysis and comparison show evidence that these families are not linked听to the proposed Erigone-like or Polana-like groups, challenging the previously held theories as to where they fit in. Also, one particular asteroid, (52246) Donaldjohanson, seems to belong to the Erigone family based on its spectrum.

Piecing Together History

Due to the importance of understanding the nature of primitive objects, numerous spacecraft have targeted primitive asteroids, such as JAXA鈥檚 Hayabusa2 and NASA鈥檚 OSIRIS-REx, which visited, studied, and returned samples from Ryugu and Bennu, respectively.

Bennu and Ryugu prompted researchers to further study primitive asteroids and figure out where they came from, Harvison says.

Erigone was one of the final pieces of the large library of PRIMASS data that existed, but had yet to be studied, Harvison says. PRIMASS aims to understand the variety of surface properties amongst primitive collisional families in the asteroid belt and map their composition.

A collisional family of asteroids refers to a group of asteroids that are believed to have originated from the breakup of a larger parent body due to a collision. The members of a collisional family provide information about the interior of the intact body they were part of before the impact.

The PRIMASS project is characterizing the collisional families of primitive asteroids in the main belt, and particularly those that could be the origin of the primitive near-Earth asteroids such as Bennu and Ryugu.

The conclusions drawn by studying collisional families like Erigone are critical puzzle pieces in the greater endeavor of understanding the creation of our solar system.

鈥淭he larger scope was to look at primitive听families in the inner part of the main asteroid belt, where Ryugu and Bennu are thought to have likely originated,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he听Erigone family was the last piece of the puzzle to be placed into the PRIMASS library to provide full context on primitive asteroids in this region and allow other scientists to analyze the data.鈥�

Harvison鈥檚 research provides supplemental context for the upcoming NASA Lucy mission, which will have the eponymous spacecraft visiting (52246) Donaldjohanson in Spring 2025 before it moves on to examine eight Trojan objects (space rocks trapped in Jupiter鈥檚 orbit) in 2027 through 2033.

Looking to the Future

Study co-author M谩rio De Pr谩, an assistant scientist at FSI, served as a research assistant and Harvison鈥檚 co-supervisor. Co-author Pinilla-Alonso is Harvison鈥檚 research advisor and assisted Harvison in her research.

Pinilla-Alonso says she鈥檚 delighted to assist Harvison and see her growth.

鈥淔or me, it was a pleasure to see the process and the end result,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he contacted me early during the pandemic when we were all working at home to express her interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree here at 麻豆原创. Here we are about three years later: she has done an awesome job and there is more to come.鈥�

Pinilla-Alonso and Harvison say they were surprised that no one had studied the spectroscopy of the Erigone family.

鈥淲hen Brittany landed on this project, we saw there was one piece of information we were missing,鈥� Pinilla-Alonso says. 鈥淧RIMASS had completed the analysis of the visible and near-infrared of all the primitive families in the inner belt but there was one missing family: Erigone. That was very important because it was the family that could give closure to learning about the inner [asteroid] belt families. Until you ask the right question or have the tools, sometimes you don鈥檛 seek that answer. But, in this case, we had the observations done and it was clear that we needed to analyze it.鈥�

The knowledge gained from studying Bennu, Ryugu, and the Erigone and Polana primitive asteroid families will serve as a springboard for future James Webb Space Telescope observations and NASA missions.

鈥淚t is very exciting times going through all of this new data with more to come with the James Webb Space Telescope,鈥� Pinilla-Alonso says. 鈥淚 really think the biggest discovery is yet to come. The data we can collect from Earth is limited. Now, we have the best tool in space to keep learning more.鈥�

Pinilla-Alonso, Harvison and other researchers at FSI are slated to begin using the JWST as early as this summer to observe Erigone and other primitive asteroids, and, over a span of about two years, evaluate the collected spectra.

Harvison maintains her enthusiasm as she looks forward to building upon her analyses and further unraveling the origins of these primitive asteroids.

鈥淭here鈥檚 this fascination when I鈥檓 looking at this data and I鈥檓 examining something that鈥檚 millions of miles away,鈥� Harvison says. 鈥淲e can look back billions of years and learn the initial structure and composition of the early solar system by听studying the surface of these asteroids. That鈥檚 always been something that excites me.鈥�

In addition to Harvison, Pinillia-Alonso and De Pr谩, FSI colleague and head of the Planetary and Space Science Group Humberto Campins provided research support. Vania Lorenzi of Fundaci贸n Galileo Galilei and Instituto de Astrof铆sica de Canarias, David Morate of El Centro de Estudios de F铆sica del Cosmos de Aragon, Julia de Le贸n and Javier Licandro of Instituto de Astrof铆sica de Canarias and Universidad de La Laguna, Anicia Arredondo of the Southwest Research Institute also contributed to the research.

Researchers鈥� Credentials

Harvison joined 麻豆原创 in 2021 and is a graduate student working toward her doctoral degree in physics. She graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2020 with a degree in astronomy, planetary astronomy, and science.

Pinilla-Alonso is a professor at FSI and joined 麻豆原创 in 2015. She received her doctorate in astrophysics and planetary sciences from the Universidad de La Laguna in Spain. Pinilla-Alonso also holds a joint appointment as a professor in 鲍颁贵鈥檚听听and has led numerous international observational campaigns in support of NASA missions such as New Horizons, OSIRISREx and Lucy.

The results were published today in The Planetary Science Journal.

The study was led by Olga Harrington Pinto, a doctoral candidate in 鲍颁贵鈥檚 , part of the .

Measuring the ratio of certain molecules present after outgassing from comets can provide insights to the chemical composition of early solar systems and physical processing of comets after they formed, Harrington Pinto says. Outgassing is when comets, which are small bodies of dust, rock, and ice in the solar system, warm and start to release gases.

As part of her dissertation research, Harrington Pinto compiled the amounts of water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide gases from 25 comets to test predictions of solar system formation and evolution.

This enabled almost twice as much comet carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide data to be studied. The measurements came from a variety of scientific publications. She carefully combined data obtained with different telescopes and different research teams when the measurements were simultaneous, and she could confirm that the data were all well-calibrated.

鈥淥ne of the most interesting results is that comets very far from sun with orbits in the Oort cloud that have never, or only rarely, orbited near the sun, were seen to produce more CO₂ than CO in their coma, whereas comets that have made many more trips close to the Sun behave the opposite,鈥� Harrington Pinto says. 鈥淭his had never been seen conclusively before.鈥�

鈥淚nterestingly, the data are consistent with predictions that comets that have been hanging out very far from the sun in the Oort cloud may have been bombarded by cosmic rays on their surface so much that it created a CO-depleted outer layer,鈥� Harrington Pinto says. “Then after their first or second trip close to the sun, this processed outer layer is blasted off by the sun revealing a much more pristine comet composition which releases much more CO.鈥�

The researcher says the next step for the work is to analyze the first centaur observations that her team made with the James Webb Space Telescope to directly measure the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide听and compare the results with this study.

Work on this project was partially funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation鈥檚 (NSF) Division for Astronomical Sciences and the LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program through the NSF Cybertraining Grant, the Brinson Foundation, and the Moore Foundation.

Harrington Pinto received her Master of Science in physics from the University of South Florida. She worked on this study with Maria Womack, a courtesy professor at 麻豆原创; Yanga R. Fernandez, a professor at 麻豆原创; and James Bauer, a professor at University of Maryland.

Study title: A Survey of CO, CO₂, and H₂O in Comets and Centaurs

The domes, located in the western portion of the Imbrium basin rim, remain a mystery to scientists. Flyover data from previous missions indicate that they are made of silicic minerals 鈥� rock hardened from cooled magma. On Earth, the closest comparison may be Mount St. Helens. The volcanic features appear to have large concentrations of heat producing elements, which could potentially be used for resources for long term exploration of the moon.

The robotic mission would launch in 2026 to study the domes鈥� chemical composition and how dust interacts with the spacecraft and a rover. Two projects were announced as part of NASA鈥檚 highly competitive Payloads and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) program, which is part of the federal agency鈥檚 plan to use more commercial companies to take payloads to the moon through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. A series of missions have been approved to support the Artemis program and continue lunar exploration. The 麻豆原创-led mission is called the Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still in awe,鈥� says Donaldson Hanna, the principal investigator. 鈥淲e鈥檒l be using a suite of instruments on a lander and rover to study the domes鈥� makeup including the composition and properties of regolith and boulders and how lunar dust responds to the lander and rover as it explores the volcanic dome. There鈥檚 potentially a treasure trove of knowledge waiting to be discovered, which will not only help us inform future robotic and human exploration of the moon, but may also help us better understand the history of our own planet as well as other planets in the solar system.鈥�

Chemical signatures from spacecraft orbiting the moon indicate that the surface in this region of the moon is like no other before encountered.

Ball Aerospace will be building three camera systems 鈥� the Context and Descent Cameras, the VNIR Imaging Camera, and the Compact Infrared Imaging System. The VNIR Imaging Camera and Compact Infrared Imaging System will be located on the rover and will provide critical information on the composition and properties of the volcanic domes. The Context and Descent Cameras will be on the lander and will be used to observe the rover鈥檚 work throughout the mission.

Arizona State University will provide a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer for the mission, which will be located on the rover. This will be the first time this kind of instrument will make measurements from the lunar surface, Donaldson Hanna says. The instrument will be critical in identifying the elemental composition on the surface, which is important to understand how these areas formed. If there鈥檚 a high abundance of hydrogen on the surface, the spectrometer should be able to detect it, which could us better understand the origin of the moon鈥檚 water.

Donaldson Hanna and Dove are experts in their fields. Donaldson Hanna has vast knowledge about the moon. She鈥檚 a co-investigator on NASA鈥檚 Lunar Compact InfraRed Imaging System (L-CIRiS), which will be studying the south pole of the moon. She is also part of NASA鈥檚 Lunar Trailblazer mission and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Diviner Lunar Radiometer experiment.

Dove, who is the deputy principal investigator, is an expert on space dust and has conducted experiments on NASA and commercially sponsored vehicles, as well as CubeSats and the International Space Station (ISS). She is also one of the investigators another CLPS lander instrument, called Heimdall, that will be looking at dust behavior in lunar landings.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very exciting to be selected,鈥� says Dove. 鈥淚t was an ambitious proposal, but what we learn will be invaluable. As we land, we鈥檒l be able to see how dust is disturbed and then watch how the region changes over time. We鈥檒l be able to observe how the rover modifies the surface as it travels across the domes to conduct its work. Right now, we have limited direct observations and data from the Apollo missions, and a few missions from more recent Chinese landers and rovers, so this will be a significant additional contribution.鈥�

Understanding the behavior of dust will be important in planning trips to the moon and long-term mission on its surface. Not only can dust damage spacecraft and instruments, but it could pose hazards to astronauts not properly outfitted.

The science team includes lunar experts from University of California Los Angeles, University of Colorado Boulder, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Maryland, Planetary Science Institute, United States Geological Survey and the University of Oxford.

CU Boulder鈥檚 Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) will perform instrument operations and process the science data for the Ball Aerospace provided instruments.

Another component of the project is to include outreach to local high schools. So, the team will also be working with Orlando area public school teachers to make them part of the mission work at 麻豆原创 and to use those interactions to build curricula to help students in grades nine through 12 get excited about space science. Graduate students will also be involved in and crucial to the success of the project, engaging the next generation of scientists to study the moon.

Donaldson Hanna received her bachelor鈥檚 degree in space sciences from Florida Institute of Technology in 1999, her master鈥檚 degree in geological sciences from Brown University in 2010 and her doctorate in geological sciences from Brown University in 2013. Donaldson Hanna was a postdoctoral researcher within the atmospheric, oceanic and planetary physics sub-department at the University of Oxford before receiving a UK Space Agency Aurora Research fellowship to continue her research at Oxford for an additional three and a half years. While at Oxford, she held a Junior Research fellowship at Christ Church College and was awarded the early career Winton Capital Geophysics Award from the Royal Astronomical Society. She joined 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Department of Physics in 2019.

Dove received her doctorate in astrophysical and planetary sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics and astronomy from the University of Missouri. She joined 鲍颁贵鈥檚 Department of Physics, part of the听, in 2012. In 2017听Dove was awarded the Susan Niebur Award Early Career Award by the NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Research Institute (SSERVI) for her contributions to the science and exploration communities

One of 鲍颁贵鈥檚 research strengths is space sciences and innovation. Founded in part to support the growing space industry at Kennedy Space Center, 麻豆原创 has a long history of space research success. 麻豆原创 researchers have worked on more than 674 NASA projects worth more than $193 million. There are more than a dozen active moon related projects underway at 麻豆原创. 听The university is home to the , and the .

Chances are that some of the equipment landing on the moon and the methods that will be used to grow food or build shelter, will have been tested first on experimental soil developed right at 麻豆原创.

鲍颁贵鈥檚 Exolith Lab has produced and shipped 25 tons of simulated extraterrestrial soil so far this year. Customers include NASA and commercial companies domestically and around the globe, who are using the dirt to test equipment being developed for Moon, Mars, and asteroid missions. University researchers also are using the material to test strategies they are developing to address a variety of problems facing astronauts such as finding sustainable ways to grow food on other planets. Even K-12 schools are among the clients because they are using the material to provide students hands-on science experiences to increase interest in STEM.

鈥淚t certainly has grown since we started,鈥� says Zoe Landsman 鈥�11 鈥�17PhD, the chief scientist for the Lab who earned degrees at 麻豆原创 in physics. 鈥淲e aren鈥檛 the only ones doing this, but we are certainly the only university doing this at this scale.鈥�

The first year the lab operated in 2018, less than half of ton of the experimental dirt was produced and shipped. In 2020, the lab produced 5 tons and halfway through 2021, the lab is almost at 25 tons, said director of operations, Anna Metke 鈥�19.

The lab is completely self-sufficient thanks to the increase in demand. The lab charges from $35 to $55 a kilogram with some specialty variations costing $5 per ounce. Money is reinvested into the lab.

Like Earth 鈥� which has sandy, rocky and clay regions 鈥� the moon, Mars and asteroids have various kinds of dirt. If an engineering team wants to test the tire design of a rover headed for moon鈥檚 south pole, it would need 鈥渟ofter鈥� mock moon dirt based on the data available about the Moon, Landsman says. If they were targeting a different part of the moon, the soil would be different.

The lab produces several kinds of simulant depending on the client鈥檚 needs. There are more than 10 options available, and Landsman works with clients who need custom orders.

Humble Beginnings

Exolith began in Physics Professor Dan Britt鈥檚 lab under a NASA small business grant in partnership with the commercial startup Deep Space Industries. Britt and his postdoctoral scholar, Kevin Cannon, developed a scientifically based, standardized method for creating simulated Martian and asteroid regolith (commonly called soil).

The team published its results in academic journals providing scientists around the world a high-fidelity standard. Deep Space Industries left the simulant business and 麻豆原创 picked up the slack as a non-profit service to the space exploration community. Orders and production have been growing steadily since then.

鈥淚t was a way to give scientists a way to test their ideas on something similar to what they would encounter in space,鈥� Britt says. 鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 want to discover that your method didn鈥檛 work when you are actually there. It takes a lot of money, effort, and time to get there, so you want your shot to be the best one possible. Our simulant helps improve the odds.鈥�

The demand grew quickly and in 2019 the operation moved to a 1,100-square foot warehouse in Winter Park. This month the group is preparing to move to an even bigger warehouse (about 5,500 square feet) closer to campus. As part of that move, the team expects to set up a 鈥渟andbox鈥� like the one found at NASA鈥檚 Swamp Works, Landsman says.

鈥淭his will give some of our researchers the ability to work with the simulant in a larger environment,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all looking forward to that, when we fully build out.鈥�

From NASA to Social Media Influencers

With NASA鈥檚 Artemis mission right around the corner, the Moon simulant has been a hot item at Exolith. While the client list is private, there are several companies and agencies that are public about their supplier.

NASA, the European Space Agency, the Japanese Space Agency, and German Space Agency (DLR) have placed orders; so has Honeybee Robotics, Made in Space and Maana Electric, a company based in Luxembourg. Schools are also placing orders from St. James Day School in Texas to the Mendon-Upton Regional School District in Massachusetts. Even social media influencers are customers such as Emma Carr 鈥� better known as @astrosurferninja on Instagram 鈥� an exceptional tween who is chronicling her journey to becoming an astronaut via social media.

鈥淪he has done some of the most impressive plant growth experiments with our simulants,鈥� Metke says.

NASA even used the regolith this past summer as part of its Plant the Moon and Plant Mars summer challenge. It was a national competition aimed at getting regular citizens to work on experiments for growing food on the Moon or Mars. Those who paid to participate got a starter box with 2-6 kilograms of simulant depending on the size of the team.

The Process

When it comes to creating the simulant, it is a lot like making a cake. The team keeps a pantry stocked with raw materials including basalt (lava rocks), anorthosite, serpentine, olivine, and many other minerals important in extraterrestrial regoliths. Depending on what ingredient is needed the team can take large rocks and grind or smash them in a variety of equipment to turn them into different grades of powder.

Then they are mixed based on the formulas. The quantity of each ingredient is carefully measured to create the exact blend needed.

Then the order is packed in small or large bags, placed in cardboard boxes and ready for the U.S. Postal service. If the orders are bigger, they are shipped with the appropriate carrier.

Some boxes travel as far as Australia or Germany, while others are delivered to the labs of 麻豆原创 Assistant Physics Professor Adrienne Dove, Professor Joshua Colwell, and Associate Researcher Julie Brisset. They are all using simulant for a variety of research including how dusts reacts in space

For example, Dove is looking at how planetary surfaces of the Moon, asteroids and other small objects in space behave and interact with the surrounding electric fields and charged particles from the sun. This research is important because it not only informs the understanding of how Earth formed and evolved but it also makes space exploration safer, as scientists can use the research results to predict how spacecraft and humans will interact with planetary surfaces.

Exolith Benefits 麻豆原创 Students

Many of the lab employees are 麻豆原创 students or recent graduates. And while crushing rocks and following recipe ingredients isn鈥檛 glamorous, those working in the warehouse love every minute of it because its 鈥渞eal.鈥�

For Christian Sipe, an aerospace engineering student, working in the lab is directly helping him prepare for his future job. He serves as the lab鈥檚 chief In-Situ Resource Utilization engineer.

He鈥檚 already created equipment to solve problems in the lab. For example, he designed and manufactured a uniquely shaped connector which slip onto tubing so rocks being crushed in one machine can slip into the next container in the production, while reducing the dust created and expelled in the process.

鈥淚 hope to lead teams that use ISRU to build infrastructure on the Lunar surface, such as a Lunar outpost and many other key structures that will help humanity become a multi-planetary species,鈥� Sipe says. 鈥淭his is great experience, because I鈥檓 working with very similar material right here. It鈥檚 not a dream. It鈥檚 real, now.鈥�

Lab manager Parks Easter, a Burnett Honors Scholar studying civil engineering, says the opportunity at Exolith has set him up for success. His career goal is simple: help with the construction of a Lunar base through his geotechnical research on the regolith he鈥檚 been working with at 麻豆原创.

鈥淚 have learned so much from my experience at听Exolith听that I never would’ve learned within my major alone,鈥� Easter says. 鈥淚 have been given the opportunity to talk at multiple NASA conferences as well as publish abstracts about the development of our simulant. I have also gotten the chance to develop new regolith simulants and work on research projects as an undergraduate that I wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else. I have always loved space and thought that this would be the perfect application of my skills within the industry.鈥�