Caitlin Milera

Michelle Yatvitskiy, a recent graduate of the fashion and apparel studies master’s program (center), holds a strip of a new fabric for the outer layer of space suits that was the result of a collaboration between the fashion and chemical engineering departments and a company founded by Blue Hen alumni. Yatvitskiy is accompanied by Huantian Cao, chair of the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies (left), and chemical engineering professor Norm Wagner (right).
 by Caitlin Milera

Delaware Space Grant Consortium | Building Better Space Suit

Interdisciplinary collaboration leads to innovative new fabric

When future astronauts head to the Moon, they may very well be wearing space suits created, in part, through a collaboration between two University of Delaware academic departments, a new UD alumnae and a company founded by UD alumni.

This interdisciplinary project included Norm Wagner, the Unidel Robert L. Pigford Chair,  Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Huantian Cao, chair of the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies; Richard Dombrowski, former associate research scientist in UD’s Department of Chemical Engineering and co-founder of STF Technologies, and Michelle Yatvitskiy, who graduated this year with a master’s degree in fashion and apparel studies and a graduate certificate in sustainable apparel business.

The outcome of their collaboration is a new fabric for the outer layer of space suits, called the environmental protection garment (EPG) shell, that will prevent lunar dust particles from penetrating the material.

“Our fashion apparel studies program covers everything related to clothing, and space suits are a form of clothing,” said Cao. “Quite a few of our alumni work with ILC Dover, a major space suit manufacturer.”

Author Credit: Brenda Lange

Image Credit: Evan Krape

Original Post Date: Oct. 1, 2024

Read the full story on udel.edu

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Mississippi Space Grant Logo and NASA Partner Logo
 by Caitlin Milera

Mississippi Space Grant Awards Scholarships to USM

To advance research and opportunities for students, the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) awarded 27 scholarships through the NASA-Mississippi Space Grant Consortium (MSSGC) program.

This state-wide initiative aims to ignite students’ passion for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines while equipping them with the resources and support needed to excel in their academic journey. The scholarships foster academic excellence and empower students by increasing awareness of NASA employment and research opportunities for those pursuing related majors at USM.

“I consider myself fortunate to serve as the Southern Miss coordinator for the NASA-Mississippi Space Grant Consortium,” said Dr. David Cochran, associate dean for Research and Graduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It’s an honor to be able to participate in a nationwide NASA initiative that promotes STEM and space education and provides funding to some of our most deserving students.”

Author Credit: Ivonne Kawas

Image Credit: MSSGC

Original Post Date: Jan. 6, 2025

Read the full story on usm.edu

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 by Caitlin Milera

Delaware Space Grant Consortium | Moon Rock Research

UD mechanical engineering students help NASA test a moon rover

As aspirations for lunar colonization grow, so does the need to understand the moon’s freshwater reservoirs. Researchers are interested in determining if these hidden natural resources could serve as a source of drinking water and as fuel, both of which are key cornerstones for any long-term lunar habitat.

To this end, NASA is investigating new areas of the moon for signs of freshwater. As part of this effort, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, aims to characterize the distribution and physical state of lunar waters and then to determine whether humans will be able to use lunar water resources found on the moon.

But before VIPER launches in late 2024, a number of tests must be conducted here on Earth to ensure that the golf cart-sized rover can withstand harsh lunar conditions. This is what a team of seniors in the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering worked on as part of a project that could aid in [human]kind’s next giant leap.

 

Author Credit: Jess Gardner

Image Credit: Photos courtesy of Team 116 and NASA

Original Post Date: May 21, 2024

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Sidike Paheding, PhD, was awarded a grant for his research project “Transferring Knowledge Across Planets: Domain Adaptation for Marian Surface Mapping.”
 by Caitlin Milera

Connecticut Space Grant Consortium Awards Funding for Groundbreaking Engineering Research

The NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium (CTSGC) has recognized Fairfield University’s School of Engineering and Computing with prestigious research grants and scholarships. These awards highlight innovative projects and academic excellence that align with NASA’s mission objectives.

In fall 2024, Naser Haghbin, PhD, assistant professor of the practice of mechanical engineering and Sidike Paheding, PhD, assistant professor of computer science received funding for their groundbreaking work, as did graduate students Gabriel Grant ’24 and Gerald Malloy ’24, and undergraduates Eric Dillner ’25 and Joseph Borges ’25.

Dr. Haghbin’s project, “Dynamic Object Tracking and Handling in a Vision-Guided Robotic Arm,”  advances the capabilities of autonomous robotics by implementing real-time object detection, dynamic path adjustment, and responsive control systems for a robotic manipulator. By utilizing a vision-based tracking system, designing algorithms for path optimization, and programming a gripper for precise interactions, his research addresses critical challenges in automation. The outcomes aim to refine planetary sample collection, streamline spacecraft assembly and repair, and assist astronauts in high-risk scenarios.

Dr. Paheding brings a fresh perspective to planetary exploration through his research project “Transferring Knowledge Across Planets: Domain Adaptation for Martian Surface Mapping.” This project seeks to improve surface mapping of Mars by applying advanced semi-supervised domain adaptation techniques to Earth-based terrain data. By addressing the differences between Earth and Mars, it will create specialized terrain models tailored to Martian environments.

These models are essential for enhancing autonomous rover navigation, enabling safer and more efficient exploration of planetary surfaces. The research also aligns with NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, advancing broader space exploration goals and supporting future missions to the Red Planet.

Author Credit: Sara Colabella

Image Credit: Fairfield University

Original Post Date: Dec. 5, 2024

Read the full article on fairfield.edu

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Bennett Maruca, associate professor of physics and astronomy, has a new thermal vacuum chamber in the Delaware Space Observatory Center he directs. The instrument makes it possible for University of Delaware students to develop and test CubeSat research satellites for a 2026 NASA launch.
 by Caitlin Milera

Delaware Space Grant Consortium Funds CubeSat Mission

NASA selects UD’s CubeSat spacecraft for upcoming mission

Students pursue higher education with worthwhile goals in mind. They want to learn from experts, explore more of the world, earn a degree, find a good job and contribute to a better future.

It’s safe to say that not many expect to lead a NASA-supported mission during their undergraduate studies. But at least a dozen University of Delaware students will have done that by the time they collect their diplomas in the next few years.

All are part of a team creating Delaware’s first orbital spacecraft, which was selected by NASA for launch in 2026 as part of its CubeSat Launch Initiative. The NASA program, which started in 2011, aims to give students an opportunity to be part of real missions and gain extraordinary experience in what it takes to do space research.

CubeSats are small, modular, inexpensive satellites that carry experiments for science investigations and/or technology demonstrations. About 160 CubeSats have been launched in the NASA program over the years, many deployed from the International Space Station (ISS).

Delaware’s mission — the Delaware Atmospheric Plasma Probe Experiment (DAPPEr) — will launch its CubeSat spacecraft from the ISS and orbit independently through Earth’s upper atmosphere.

 

Author Credit: Beth Miller

Image Credit: Photos by David Barczak

Original Post Date: April 17, 2024

Read the full article on udel.edu.

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 by Caitlin Milera

South Dakota Space Grant Consortium Awards STEM Grant to Augustana University

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Augustana University has been awarded nearly $45,000 per year through 2028 to encourage youth education in STEM-related fields in South Dakota.

The grants are a part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program and funding is provided by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium (SDSGC).

The consortium connects colleges and universities to collaborate in the science, technology, engineering and math fields and explore innovative research and educational initiatives.

“It plays a pretty important part in providing our students with these kinds of experiences,” said Dr. Drew Alton, professor of physics at Augustana.

 

Author Credit: Dakota News Now Staff

Image Credit: First Lego League

Original Post Date: Dec. 22, 2024

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UD junior Timothy “TJ” Tomaszewski is the leader of a UD student team working with NASA to build and launch Delaware’s first orbital spacecraft. He holds a model of a CubeSat, a small modular satellite, which the students will create to study how the sun affects the Earth’s upper atmosphere.
 by Caitlin Milera

Delaware Space Grant Consortium Makes History through CubeSat Research

Junior TJ Tomaszewski leads student team making Delaware history in space

When he was just 4 or 5 years old, Timothy “TJ” Tomaszewski lay in the grass one warm summer evening mesmerized by the glowing full moon and the stars moving across the sky.

“I clearly remember taking it all in, the majesty of the night sky and space and what might be up there … space has always symbolized the future to me,” he said.

The University of Delaware junior’s future includes making history as leader of UD’s Delaware Atmospheric Plasma Probe Experiment (DAPPEr) team, which will build the state’s first spacecraft to orbit the Earth.

Funded by NASA, the group of 18 undergraduates and two graduate students will create a three-unit CubeSat, a small satellite about the size of a loaf of bread that uses a standard size and form and standardized parts, to study how the sun affects the Earth’s upper atmosphere. It is one of 10 satellites being built at institutions in eight states to have the opportunity to be placed into orbit. Launch is scheduled for early to mid-2026.

“It’s always been part of my makeup and my goal to work with space science, preferably at NASA where I can work on rockets,” he said. “And now I have this incredible opportunity to lead a mission — to have a team and build something that we send into space.”

Author Credit: Brenda Lange

Image Credit: Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson and courtesy of TJ Tomaszewski

Original Post Date: June 28, 2024

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Silhouette of two people looking through telescope
 by Caitlin Milera

Montana Space Grant Partner Launches Statewide NASA Telescope Library Program

MISSOULA – The University of Montana’s spectrUM Discovery Area – a hands-on science museum located within the Missoula Public Library – recently launched a NASA-supported program to place telescopes in all libraries across the state.

The program is titled “Big Sky, Bigger Dreams: Telescopes for Montana Libraries.” This groundbreaking initiative will place telescopes in public and tribal college libraries across the state, making astronomy accessible to all Montanans.

Funded through a $250,000 NASA TEAM II STEM Innovator Award, this two-year project will empower families, students and amateur astronomers in rural and tribal communities to explore the night sky with user-friendly tabletop telescopes available for free checkout at local libraries.

“It has been a longtime dream of mine to make this project a reality,” said Nicholos Wethington, spectrUM’s associate director of library telescope programs. “The night sky belongs to us all and is part of our global cultural heritage.”

He said the project is about removing barriers.

“By putting telescopes in libraries, we’re giving every Montanan – regardless of income or geography – the chance to experience the wonders of astronomy firsthand.”

Read the full article on: umt.edu

Original Post Date: 12.19.25

Author Credit: University of Montana

Image Credit: Adobe Stock

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The RELLIS LTV team shows off their winning Lunar Terrain Vehicle prototype. From left are Syeda Roushan, Alyssa Castro, Behram Khan, Yashasvi Gullapally, Nicholas Ekleberry, and Irving Wistam.
 by Caitlin Milera

Tarleton State University Team Wins Top Prize at Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge Showcase

Team RELLIS LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) took first place as Top Design Team and was awarded $1,000 individual scholarships for each of the six students on the team, as well as $1,200 to be used to support the team’s project expenses. The group also won first place in Best Poster, second place in Top Peer Review and third place in Best Video.

“Our team participated in both the poster and oral presentation sessions, and our performance was outstanding among the 24 competing teams from universities across the state of Texas,” said Dr. Nourouddin Sharifi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and the RELLIS team’s faculty advisor.

The team’s winning project was titled “Next-Generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle (NextGen LTV) for Human and Robotic Exploration.” Students were tasked with developing the design and prototype for an innovative Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) concept optimized for long-range, energy-efficient and autonomous exploration of the Moon’s South Pole.

Read the full article on: theflashtoday.com

Author Credit: jhorton

Image Credit: The Flash Today

Original Post Date: 12.16.25

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Drea Hineman, a UW senior from Gillette, tends to plants undergoing a salinity trial at Laramie Research and Extension Center. Photo by Paulo Mello Neto, UW Ph.D. student and member of JJ Chen’s lab.
 by Caitlin Milera

Wyoming Space Grant Student Researcher Earns Regional Recognition

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Drea Hineman,a University of Wyoming student from Gillette, has earned regional recognition for her innovative space-farming research supported by NASA.

Hineman is a senior majoring in plant production and protection in the UW Department of Plant Sciences. As a Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium research fellow, she studies sustainable food production in reduced-gravity environments — in other words, farming in space.

The Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium sponsors education and research programs in support of NASA missions. Hineman’s fellowship project addresses a key problem astronauts face when cultivating lettuce plants in space: salt accumulation in the soil.

Reduced gravity also means reduced drainage. Aboard the International Space Station, water — and salts dissolved in that water — don’t drain away like they would on Earth. Instead of exiting the growing pod, salt accumulates in the soil, stressing the plants.

Read the full article on: thefencepost.com

Original Post Date: 11.26.25

Author Credit: University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources

Image Credit: Photo by Paulo Mello Neto, UW Ph.D. student and member of JJ Chen’s lab.

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