UCF Space Program Honored at Center Field
UCF has a strong connection to space. At Spectrum Stadium, Physics Professor Joshua Colwell was honored at the UCF Homecoming football game. He has ongoing research with commercial space companies and NASA, including the historic Cassini mission to explore Saturn. Assistant Professor Adrienne Dove, also joined him on the field. She was honored with NASA’s Susan Mahan Niebur Early Career Award earlier this year for her research. A group of Planetary Science students are currently building a NASA-funded cube satellite that will travel into space next year.
The satellite will run several experiments, which will be recorded and transmitted to a student built radio station at UCF. The information collected could help us better understand how Earth formed. The data also may be useful in planning future off world trips.
The project is just one way, UCF is pushing the frontiers of space exploration. Colwell’s lab, like many at UCF, gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience which will lead to jobs as astronauts, mission specialists and entrepreneurs who can spin off their own space-related companies.
UCF is making a big impact in space research. Way to go space team! Charge on!