BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Space is seen as the final frontier when it comes to scientific exploration. Texas A&M University, in partnership with Aegis Aerospace, is looking to take on that frontier by establishing an external research faculty on the International Space Station (ISS).
The contract between the University and Aegis Aerospace will create the Texas A&M/Aegis Aerospace Multi-Use Space Platform Integrating International Research & Innovative Technology (TAMU-SPIRIT), which will exclusively house Texas A&M experiments.
“This is a big deal because it is a one-of-a-kind, Texas A&M University branded, research facility in low Earth orbit, which is accessible solely to our students, our faculty, and our researchers,” said Vice Chancellor of Engineering for the Texas A&M University System and Dean of Engineering, Dr. Robert Bishop.
The TAMU-SPIRIT will allow for 12 experiments to study the effects of space itself, outside of the ISS. The experiments are also unique in their ability to come back down to Earth- something Dr. Bishop said is not often the case.
“They can be observed so they’re not just in a closed container. We can actually, you know, interface with them. So, all kinds of things related to how to live in space, not how to get to space or how to land on a planet,” Dr. Bishop told KBTX.
This is not the only extension of the university into space. The Texas A&M System is also creating a facility that mimics the lunarscape and Marsscape outside of the NASA Johnson Space Center. The university also has a new program called Space Engineering, which focuses on how to live in space.
Dr. Bishop explained how not only this research, but his student’s fascination with space and exploration will be the final push into the final frontier for this generation, one that will hopefully propel us into the stars.
“This is a generation that will likely go to space and live in space,” he added.
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