DURHAM — The University of New Hampshire has announced the opening of a Space Technology Hub, the region’s first center to provide cutting-edge space expertise and equipment to the burgeoning commercial space sector.
“We’re excited to launch the Space Tech Hub, which will combine UNH’s resources with the burgeoning new space industry to accelerate the growth of the Northeast’s space economy,” said Space Tech Hub Director Reka Winslow. “We’re really excited to partner with companies in the region and beyond to develop a talent pipeline in space technology while providing testing and engineering solutions closer to home.”
By opening its doors to closer collaboration with companies, the Space Tech Hub will help meet a critical need in the rapidly growing commercial space sector. The World Economic Forum predicts that the space economy will reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, as satellite- and rocket-based technologies become increasingly prevalent. Although space seems far removed from our everyday lives, what happens there can have significant impacts on Earth. For example, solar flares that trigger space storms can wreak havoc on satellites, interfere with GPS and bring down power grids.
The university has already partnered with Hanover, New Hampshire-based engineering and research company Creare to test space instruments that will eventually be installed on Saturn’s largest moon. The company needed access to a local facility that could simulate the space environment, and UNH’s thermal vacuum chamber met its stringent requirements.
“Creare is impressed with UNH’s facilities and skilled technical staff and looks forward to working with UNH on future program qualification testing,” said Lucas O’Neill, research and development engineer at Creare.
Thermal vacuum chambers, other state-of-the-art equipment, clean rooms and skilled engineers and experts who can provide space mission expertise are all part of the Space Technology Hub. Over the past 60 years, UNH researchers have partnered with NASA and other agencies on more than 100 space and rocket missions to learn more about the sun’s impact on Earth and its atmosphere, as well as to investigate mysterious cosmic phenomena from further into the universe, such as gamma rays and neutron stars.
“Over the years, UNH’s Space Science Center has expanded its capabilities and capabilities with facilities and personnel designing, developing, testing and delivering instruments for scientific missions in support of NASA, NSF and NOAA space research missions,” said Harlan Spence, director of the UNH Institute of Earth, Ocean and Space Studies. “The Space Technology Hub will provide these capabilities to our industry partners, not only in facilities but also in scientific support for new areas such as space weather forecasting.”
The Hub’s highly skilled engineers, technicians and scientists have extensive flight experience in all aspects of space mission design, testing and operations, as well as niche expertise not readily available in the commercial space sector. The Hub also offers companies shorter wait times to access its facilities and skill sets than many of its competitors across the country.
For more information, visit the UNH Space Technology Hub website.
