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<\/a><\/figure>The future of research and technology at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is expanding Wednesday, as Kennedy\u2019s center director and charter members in the Florida University Space Research Consortium signed a memorandum of understanding in research and development to assist with missions and contribute to NASA\u2019s Moon to Mars exploration approach.<\/p>\n
Officials from the consortium \u2013 designated in 2024 as the state\u2019s official space research entity \u2013 NASA leaders, and guests participated in the signing ceremony held at Kennedy, marking a critical milestone in a partnership to advance research, technology development, education, and communication between the spaceport and the state\u2019s growing space industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough this agreement, NASA will benefit in new and exciting ways from our longtime partnership with the universities that make Florida shine,\u201d said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. \u201cAs we move deeper into this golden era of space exploration, a new generation of thinkers and leaders will lead the way \u2013 thinkers and leaders like the researchers, faculty, and students of the Artemis Generation, whom we are pleased to work with through the consortium.\u201d<\/p>\n
The creation of the consortium was the result of more than a year of effort by leaders at Kennedy, the University of Florida, the University of Central Florida, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The agreement highlights the partnership and serves as the official start to partnering activities, with Florida now the only state with a university consortium affiliated with one of NASA\u2019s centers.<\/p>\n
Present at the event was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. \u201cIt was great to visit the Space Coast Jan. 8 to announce the Florida University Space Research Consortium\u2014our state\u2019s official space research entity. Home to a thriving aerospace industry and world-class higher education institutions, Florida is the ideal place to launch this initiative. We are primed to lead the nation in developing a blueprint for state-space partnerships into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mission of the consortium is to foster a symbiotic relationship between NASA Kennedy and Florida\u2019s universities to drive innovation in space exploration, research, and technology through academic collaboration, joint projects, and workforce development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe launch of the Florida University Space Research Consortium is a significant milestone for our state\u2019s aerospace sector, bringing together our world-class education system with cutting edge research and development,\u201d said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nu\u00f1ez. \u201cThis consortium will undoubtedly further strengthen and deepen Florida\u2019s position as the leader in the global aerospace economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The memorandum of understanding marks the dawn of a new era of cooperation between the Florida spaceport and the state\u2019s university system, starting with the three charter universities with plans to expand to other state universities interested in participating. The push to enhance research and technological collaboration with universities has been a priority at NASA for years and has seen success at other NASA centers across the country.<\/p>\n
While Kennedy becomes the first NASA center affiliated with a university consortium, recently NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley partnered with University of California, Berkeley, on development of the Berkeley Space Center at NASA Research Park, located at Ames. Still in development, the project is envisioned as a 36-acre discovery and innovation hub to include educational spaces, labs, offices, student housing, and a new conference center. More recently, NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston teamed up with Texas A&M University to break ground on a building that will become a testing laboratory for apparatuses in development for NASA\u2019s Moon to Mars plans. In attendance for the groundbreaking was Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro, who was one of the signatories on the agreement.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\u201cThis agreement is a shining example of what it looks like when we link arms and create a space for the whole to be greater than all our parts,\u201d said Petro. \u201cThis symbiotic partnership makes way for collaborative research opportunities and increased exposure to advanced technology, significantly enhancing NASA\u2019s research output in fields such as aerospace engineering, materials science, robotics, and environmental science, all of which are necessary for long-term human exploration as we learn to live and work deeper into space than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information about NASA Kennedy, visit:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/kennedy<\/a><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a> The future of research and technology at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is expanding Wednesday, as Kennedy\u2019s center director and charter members in the Florida University Space Research Consortium signed a memorandum of understanding in research and development to assist with missions and contribute to NASA\u2019s Moon to Mars exploration approach. Officials from the [\u2026] Continue reading
\nJason Costa <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"