We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

91�Թ��� celebrated seven dynamic contributors to Central Florida’s robust space ecosystem with its 2026 SpaceU Awards.

America’s Space University honored two students, three faculty, a Pegasus Partner, and a space company leader for advancing space development, discovery, exploration and engagement. The awards were part of the second 91�Թ��� Space Week, which runs Oct. 25-30 and showcases the university’s impact across the space sector.

Tuesday’s SpaceU Awards ceremony at the Celeste Hotel drew more than 200 community leaders and supporters from 91�Թ���, industry and government. The event also spotlighted the inaugural 91�Թ��� Space Ideation Challenge, a national competition showcasing practical, forward-looking ideas to strengthen U.S. leadership in space and accelerate the emerging space economy.

“Their achievements remind us that exploration is about more than reaching new frontiers — it is about advancing knowledge, creating opportunities and improving lives on Earth and beyond.” — Alexander N. Cartwright, 91�Թ��� president

“Our SpaceU Award recipients embody the ingenuity and determination that have defined 91�Թ��� from the start. They ask bold questions, take on difficult challenges, and pursue ideas that have the potential to change what we know, what we can do and where we can go,” said 91�Թ��� President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Their achievements remind us that exploration is about more than reaching new frontiers — it is about advancing knowledge, creating opportunities and improving lives on Earth and beyond.”

91�Թ��� originated in 1963 to help supply talent and technology for Central Florida’s growing space program. Today, SpaceU has become a vital force for enhancing Florida’s vibrant space economy through excellence in research, innovation and workforce development — leading the nation in producing talent for the aerospace and defense industries.

Other Space Week events include the inaugural 91�Թ��� Innovate Day, which highlights how university research translates into real-world applications; The Economist’s fourth-annual Space Economy Summit; the National Space Society’s Space Settlement Summit; and the SpaceU Symposium, featuring student, faculty and staff research. The week also includes a SpaceU Drone Show on Memory Mall and the 10th-annual Space Game against Baylor at Acrisure Bounce House Stadium.

Here are the 2026 SpaceU Awardees.

Student Space Research Award

Noah Brockhoff, Junior, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Brockhoff’s research is helping to address the critical challenge of minimizing the effects of moon dust on spacecraft and landing sites. At �����’s Exolith Lab, the mechanical engineering major spent 300 hours building a simulated lunar lander to study how lunar dust traveling at terminal velocity could damage spacecraft. NASA is partnering with 91�Թ��� on the research and plans to use the findings, connecting Brockhoff’s work directly to the future of space exploration.

Student Space Innovator Award

Keanu Brayman, Senior, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Burnett Honors College

Brayman, a mechanical engineering major, is making contributions to space innovations with commercial applications. As an intern at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, he has worked on trajectory optimization for the Human Landing System, additive manufacturing technology for lunar resource utilization and robotic in-space laser welding — a necessity for assembling large structures on the lunar surface. Brayman is also a researcher in �����’s Astrodynamics, Space and Robotics Laboratory, a Goldwater Scholar, and an Astronaut Scholar.

Early Career Space Achievement Faculty Award

Paula do Vale Pereira, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

do Vale Pereira develops approaches for exploring the hidden oceans of icy moons. She specializes in space systems, spacecraft engineering, and planetary exploration technologies for navigating some of the solar system’s most challenging environments. do Vale Pereira contributes to shaping the next decade of planetary exploration through NASA’s Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy and the Ocean Worlds Working Group. Her lab investigates spacecraft thermal performance, orbital dynamics, lunar surface power transmission, and innovative satellite structures.

Mid-Career Space Achievement Faculty Award

Emmanuel Urquieta, Associate Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for Aerospace Medicine, College of Medicine

Urquieta is a physician and scientist helping to make human spaceflight safer through research, education, and aerospace-medicine leadership. He founded and directs SpaceU’s Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine, leading 91�Թ���’s efforts to promote research, education, clinical care, and operational capabilities to protect human health and performance in space. At 91�Թ���, he established Florida’s first academic Division of Aerospace Medicine and spearheaded the development of an aerospace medicine residency, master’s degree program, and specialized research and simulation capabilities for future exploration missions.

Lifetime Space Achievement Faculty Award

Daniel Britt, Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, College of Sciences

Britt’s trailblazing contributions to planetary science have expanded the world’s understanding of the solar system. A member of several NASA mission teams, he managed the camera project for Mars Pathfinder and has contributed hardware to Mars missions, extending 91�Թ��� technology in reaching the stars. He directs �����’s Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science and studies the physical properties of asteroids, comets, the moon and Mars. Since joining 91�Թ��� in 2003, his honors include six NASA Achievement Awards and an asteroid named 4395 Danbritt.

Industry Partner Impact Award

Lockheed Martin

Global industry leader Lockheed Martin is a cornerstone of Florida’s space ecosystem and a long-time champion of 91�Թ���. Since 1981, Lockheed Martin’s College Work Experience Program at 91�Թ��� has provided paid professional opportunities to more than 10,000 students. Many have gone on to join the company. The partnership also supports mentorship, scholarships and cutting-edge faculty research in robotics, AI, advanced manufacturing and hypersonics. Last year, Lockheed Martin became a Pegasus Partner, expanding collaboration with 91�Թ��� on research, workforce development and economic growth.

Innovative Space Leader Award

Michael Edmonds, Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Origin

Edmonds’ leadership fosters business, government and customer relationships essential to the growth of commercial space. He also serves as president of Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Under Edmonds’ leadership, the organization has awarded $1 million in grants to 19 space-focused nonprofits, extending STEAM outreach worldwide. Through educational challenges and postcards flown to space and back, the club makes exploration tangible for students across the globe.

Landing humans on the moon was just a dream when 91�Թ��� was founded in 1963. But we dared to believe — developing the talent and inventing the technologies to make it reality. That same spirit still drives us today.

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

Two 91�Թ��� College of Medicine faculty have been elected Academicians of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) — a lifetime distinction recognizing worldwide leaders in space travel.

91�Թ��� Associate Professors Emmanuel Urquieta and Jennifer Fogarty were honored at the IAA’s 79th annual International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Turkey. The academy includes 1,200 fellows worldwide who are committed to collaborative research and education that advance space exploration to serve humanity.

Urquieta and Fogarty are leaders in the College of Medicine’s emerging aerospace medicine program that is creating a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.

The program’s goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

As part of that effort, 91�Թ��� has created a new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (). Urquieta leads the center; Fogarty is its chief scientist.

The multidisciplinary center includes 91�Թ��� faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership who collectively research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy. The work is applicable here on Earth, as well, to soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

From Flight Surgeon to Aerospace Leader

Urquieta began his career in aerospace medicine as a flight surgeon, serving on the Mexico City Police Department’s emergency medical services helicopter team before being selected for NASA’s HERA XI program. There he spent 30 days isolated with three crewmates in a simulated mission to the asteroid Geographos to understand how the isolation of a space mission affects the crew medically and psychologically.

In 2016, Urquieta joined the Translational Research Institute for Space Health at Baylor College of Medicine (TRISH), eventually becoming chief medical officer, where he managed medical research for missions to the moon and Mars as well as the institute’s commercial spaceflight programs.

He joined the College of Medicine in 2024.

Urquieta says this recognition inspires him to continue striving to make 91�Թ��� an international leader in aerospace medicine.

“I look forward to contributing to the work of the academy,” he says. “And to helping advance the science and medicine that will support the next era of human space exploration.”

Leading Innovation in Spaceflight Safety

Fogarty’s honor recognizes her nearly 20-year career in aerospace medicine, beginning as chief scientist of NASA’s human research program. There, she examined the risks humans face while exploring space and developed research and programs to keep astronauts safe and healthy.

Following nearly 14 years at NASA, Fogarty brought her expertise to TRISH, where she provided strategic leadership in developing innovations to maintain human performance and wellness during space travel.

She joined 91�Թ��� in 2025.

Fogarty says she was honored because she and  Urquieta were nominated by a mentor, Jeffrey Davis, who has served as branch chief of medical operations at NASA.

“We were honored to be nominated by Dr. Davis and to have other people who agreed that we have made significant contributions to the field at an international level,” said Fogarty. “It’s very special to be recognized in this way.”

Fogarty says her role is not only to improve the health of space travelers, but to use that knowledge to create more innovative medical treatments for patients on Earth.

“There’s a lot of responsibility when you’re in an industry that’s relatively small and young,” she says.  “I think it’s our role with the positions we have here to engage students and educate the public about what’s happening in space medicine and why.”

Landing humans on the moon was just a dream when 91�Թ��� was founded in 1963. But we dared to believe — developing the talent and inventing the technologies to make it reality. That same spirit still drives us today.

We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate 91�Թ��� Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

A space capsule is becoming the 91�Թ��� College of Medicine’s newest classroom and research lab.

Sierra Space, a Colorado-based private aerospace and defense technologies company, donated the 22-foot-long life-sized model of their Shooting Star cargo module, which is capable of delivering supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.

The gift recognizes �����’s reputation as America’s Space University and the medical school’s emerging aerospace medicine program, which is exploring how space flight impacts the human body and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

The model was housed at Kennedy Space Center — located roughly 30 miles from �����’s campus — where it was used as a design reference for engineers and a training tool for in-space cargo transfer. The module attaches to a Sierra Space Dream Chaser spaceplane and in the future could potentially to deliver up to 12,000 pounds of cargo, including science experiments, research equipment and medical supplies to space stations.

The mockup is almost identical to a real module with a hatch that docks with the spacecraft and a section of storage lockers that hold resupply materials.

“There’s only a handful of ships that can take payloads to low Earth orbit,” says Emmanuel Urquieta, the College of Medicine’s vice chair for aerospace medicine and director of �����’s new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (). “This module is a true-to-size mock-up that is fully aligned with what will actually fly into space.”

Dedicated to Keeping Space Travelers Healthy

CASEEM is a multidisciplinary center that includes 91�Թ��� faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership who will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

91�Թ��� will use the module to give students and faculty precise training to address medical events in the confines of a spacecraft.

The model also will help researchers create technologies for improving payloads and establishing protocols to send materials into the tight spaces of intergalactic travel. Such technologies and strategies also could be used in combat zones, on submarines and in remote and isolated areas of Earth, Urquieta says.

“It is a rare piece of technology that the 91�Թ��� Aerospace Medicine program is privileged to use for research.” — Ed Powers, CASEEM’s medical director

“This module brings human spaceflight to life for students and researchers at 91�Թ���,” says William (Ed) Powers, CASEEM’s medical director, who worked as director of flight medicine for Axiom Space and chief of NASA’s Medical Operations Branch before joining 91�Թ���. “It is a rare piece of technology that the 91�Թ��� Aerospace Medicine program is privileged to use for research.”

The university is working to create a location for the module.

The donated module grew out of a longstanding professional relationship between aerospace medicine faculty members with Tom Marshburn, chief astronaut and vice president of programs at Sierra Space. Marshburn spent 28 years at NASA, where he was on three space flights and served as medical operations lead for the International Space Station.

“Sierra Space is proud to support the �����’s College of Medicine and its aerospace medicine program by providing our life-size mockup of our Dream Chaser cargo module,” Marshburn says. “Humans will interface with the actual Dream Chaser spaceplane and its cargo module when it arrives at the ISS or a commercial LEO destination, and we look forward to working with 91�Թ��� medical students, physicians and faculty on the insights the mockup vehicle can provide for human factors studies, in aerospace and mechanical engineering, and in potential space medical capabilities.”

The mission will include multiple health studies on the four astronauts to determine how radiation, microgravity, isolation and other factors impact their physical health, mind and behavior — crucial information that will help pave the way for future lunar surface missions and develop our understanding about humans’ deep space capabilities.

Thanks to new technology and modern medicine, researchers have better ways to understand the impact of space flight on human health.

“Artemis II is both a historic and biomedically important mission,” says  Emmanuel Urquieta, the 91�Թ��� College of Medicine’s vice chair for aerospace medicine and director of the university’s new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

“For the first time since Apollo 17, humans will travel beyond the Earth’s magnetic field. That matters enormously from a research perspective, because now we have technology to thoroughly understand the health impact of embarking into deep space. The knowledge gained from Artemis II will help shape the future of safe human space exploration and drive innovations that can benefit medicine here on Earth and help us start preparing us for a mission to Mars.”

The Space Coast’s College of Medicine

As the closest medical school to the Kennedy Space Center, �����’s College of Medicine is charting a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, and commercial space flights take more civilians into space.

The goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention on Earth.

To further those efforts, �����’s CASEEM includes faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts and educational leadership. This interdisciplinary group will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy, as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers and mountain climbers.

What Lies Ahead for Artemis II’s Astronauts

• Understanding Radiation Exposure Effects

Traveling to the moon — which humans haven’t returned to since 1972 — means astronauts will go beyond Earth’s Van Allen belts, which protect humans from cosmic radiation and solar storms. Space travelers to the International Space Station stay within Earth’s magnetic field. During their 10-day mission, Artemis II is anticipated to break Apollo 13’s record (248,655 miles) for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.

Fifty years ago, researchers could do little more than measure radiation. This time will be different, says �����’s William “Ed” Powers, chief medical officer of CASEEM and the former chief of NASA’s Medical Operations branch where he was a primary medical support physician for six shuttle missions.

“Medical knowledge, technology and the ability to diagnose disease have advanced significantly since then,” he says.

Physicians and scientists will be able to determine how radiation impacts cells, organs, blood proteins and other molecular functions.

Artemis crew members will carry dosimeters in their pockets that measure radiation exposure in real time. Monitors inside the Orion spacecraft will also gather radiation information throughout the flight for future analysis.

An astronaut suffering a medical condition in space is always a concern, but deep space travel brings additional challenges, Powers explains. While astronauts on the International Space Station can be returned to Earth in about a day, as happened recently when a crew member became ill, returning from the moon may take several days or more.

“None of the four astronauts on this flight is a physician,” Powers says. “And a space capsule certainly doesn’t have the same equipment you’d have in a hospital emergency room.”

• Does Space Flight Reduce Immunity?

Previous research has shown that spaceflight missions alter the and reactivate dormant viruses in the human body. As part of the Artemis II mission, NASA will conduct an AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) experiment that will investigate how deep space impacts specific cells and tissues as well as some vital bodily functions including immune system responses.

For this experiment, NASA-funded scientists created “organ-on-a-chip” devices that contain each astronaut’s bone marrow cells. This technology allows scientists to examine molecular changes and cell function.

“With this technology we can see how the body responds to stimuli across the whole mission,” says Jennifer Fogarty, CASEEM’s chief scientist who came to 91�Թ��� after serving as chief scientist for NASA’s Human Research Program. “This capability will help us map the body’s molecular changes with tissue/organ function and much better predictive capabilities.”

As the “organ-on-a-chip” technology advances and proves accurate, it will allow NASA physicians to provide personalized and proactive medicine to astronauts because they will be able to predict a crew member’s biological response to space flight. Such technology could be used before NASA sends an actual crew to Mars. The space agency could place the crew’s personalized chips on unmanned flights to the Red Planet to better understand the potential health risks for each individual.

“It’s basically sending small versions of astronauts to Mars before we send astronauts to Mars,” Fogarty says.

• Teamwork and Behavior

Selecting an astronaut crew that will perform well under the stresses of space flight is always a top NASA priority. But deep space missions present additional personnel challenges, including communication delays, increased isolation and resource constraints.

Astronauts on moon and Mars missions also must live in a capsule that is significantly smaller than the International Space Station, highlighting the need for crews to work together seamlessly and be able to manage any conflicts.

The Artemis flight will conduct an experiment called ARCHeR (Artemis Research for Crew Health and Readiness) that will evaluate how astronauts perform individually and as a team during the mission.

They will wear sleep and movement monitors before, during and after the mission to evaluate their cognition and team dynamics.

“You watch the astronauts on TV, and it looks so easy,” Fogarty says. “But human performance is critical in space. You have multiple duties to conduct and you’re always pushing operations. So we need to understand how the team performs, their reserve and resilience. The mission itself is the experiment.”

Star Nona 2026

�����’s leading space medicine experts, valued strategic partners and an astronaut who holds NASA’s record for spacewalks will gather April 10 in Lake Nona’s Medical City to discuss how they can work together to keep space travelers healthy and use that research to create groundbreaking clinical innovations on Earth.

The “Star Nona 2026” event is led by the Lake Nona Research Council, which is focused on encouraging interdisciplinary scientific partnerships between industry, academia and healthcare.

The council includes physicians and researchers from 91�Թ���, Orlando Health, AdventHealth, the Florida Space Institute, the Orlando VA Medical Center, Nemours Children’s Health, business and industry.

For more information, including how to register for the event, visit www.ucf.edu/news/progressing-the-final-frontier-of-medicine-space.

Founded to reach the moon, we’re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America’s Space University celebrates 91�Թ��� Space Week Nov. 3 -7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space

91�Թ���’s College of Medicine is charting a new frontier in healthcare as humans prepare for longer missions to moon, Mars and beyond. The goal: explore how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

As part of that effort, two internationally known experts recently joined the medical school’s faculty as part of a new 91�Թ��� center that will lead research and technology development for improving health in extreme environments such as space.

William (Ed) Powers, M.D., joins 91�Թ��� after serving as director of flight medicine for Axiom Space and former chief of NASA’s Medical Operations Branch, where he was the primary medical support physician for six shuttle missions and four Soyuz missions launched from Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

Jennifer Fogarty, Ph.D., was chief scientist for NASA’s Human Research Program, where she led efforts to reduce the health risks of space travelers, including those traveling to Mars.

The two are part of the leadership of �����’s new Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM), serving as chief medical officer and chief scientist, respectively. The multidisciplinary center includes 91�Թ��� faculty experts in medicine, engineering, computer science, psychology, arts, and educational leadership who will work together to research and develop new technologies for keeping space travelers healthy as well as soldiers on military missions, deep sea explorers, and mountain climbers.

“91�Թ��� is assembling a team of superstars to create a program that will allow us to harness knowledge obtained in space to solve our problems here on Earth,” says Deborah German, �����’s vice president for health affairs and College of Medicine dean. “We will also be training future generations to continue this quest.”

91�Թ��� Center Is Most Interdisciplinary in Space Industry

The new center is led by Emmanuel Urquieta, M.D., the College of Medicine’s vice chair for aerospace medicine. An internationally recognized space medicine expert, Urquieta joined 91�Թ��� in 2024 to expand research into how spaceflight affects humans and create a space medicine curriculum for students across the university.

He says �����’s location near the Kennedy Space Center and the opportunity to collaborate in research and education across 12 colleges are major assets in making the university a recognized leader in space medicine.

“There couldn’t be a better location to study the health effects of human space flight,” he says.

Those discoveries also could help patients on Earth. For example, technologies developed to protect astronauts from radiation could help cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. Understanding how space travel advances aging and inflammatory processes in the body could uncover new anti-aging therapies.

Urquieta called the new 91�Թ��� center “more interdisciplinary than any other in space industry.” There, 91�Թ��� faculty physicians will work with engineers and computer scientists to create and test new technologies to diagnose and treat health problems in the confines of space and other extreme environments. Psychology faculty will help identify solutions to the mental health implications of space travel, including isolation and living in a confined area. Leadership science researchers will identify the best ways to select and train astronaut teams for optimum effectiveness.

Urquieta says the new 91�Թ��� technologies will also be relevant to the military and can help improve access to healthcare in remote and isolated areas across the globe.

New M.D. Faculty Completed Residency Training at Orlando Health

Powers has master’s and bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering and has guided multiple research projects for commercial space medicine with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He led the aerospace medicine residency program at the University of Texas Medical Branch and is a Fulbright Scholar. An emergency medicine physician, he did his residency training at Orlando Health, where he served as chief resident.

As a NASA physician, he supported six space shuttle missions including STS 135, the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.

“I stood on the landing strip, and I was able to climb on board Atlantis right after they landed,” he says. “It was quite a memorable experience to close out the space shuttle program in that way.”

Powers also was a physician who supported American astronauts launching on Russian spacecraft. He participated in astronaut training and even spent 14 days in quarantine with the astronauts before they launched out of Kazakhstan. The astronauts were in space for six months and Powers helped them get medically acclimated to life back on Earth.

He recalls loading astronaut Mike Barratt onto a Russian helicopter after he landed.

“I handed him a bottle of water, and he sat there and stared at it because (in zero gravity) he hadn’t seen water go to the bottom of a bottle for about six months,” Powers says. He just kept staring and said, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’”

Powers was in SpaceX mission control when Axiom Space launched the very first all private manned space mission to the International Space Station in 2022. He supported two additional all private missions for Axiom, serving as the lead flight surgeon for the Ax3 mission.

Powers says he first became interested in space flight at age 15, when he started taking flying lessons. In his new role at 91�Թ���, he will conduct FAA medical clearance exams for private and commercial pilots at the 91�Թ��� Health Faculty Physician Practice. He says he believes 91�Թ��� is well positioned to be a leader in space medicine and research.

“The platform of commercial space exploration is in its infancy now, but it’s really the way of the future,” Powers says. “Commercial spaceflight planners need expertise in how to deal with humans in the extreme environment of space flight. We can provide that for them.”

The Health Risks of Space Travel

The space industry recognizes the exposures that occur during space travel — including reduced gravity, isolation, confinement and radiation exposure — that may have negative health and performance impacts during and after a mission. Before coming to 91�Թ���, Fogarty spent 17 years researching those risks and how to prevent and mitigate them. At NASA, she was the clinical translational scientist with Medical Operations Division and subsequently, chief scientist of the Human Research Program, where she managed a $145 million research budget dedicated to reducing the health and performance risks associated with expeditionary space travel such as the Mars mission. She also served as chief scientific officer and a faculty member with the Translational Research Institute for Space Health at Baylor College of Medicine, which focuses on developing innovative solutions for those risks.

NASA and international partner astronauts undergo rigorous medical screening before and monitoring after spaceflight missions. As commercial spaceflight expands, more civilians, with more varied medical histories, will live and work in space. So the space industry will need to have new technologies to handle medical situations at times when a trained physician is not onboard and in the small austere confines of a space capsule.

“When you put people into space and their life is unfolding, and unpredictable health issues emerge as they do, how are we prepared to handle that?” Fogarty says. “Those people will not have access to the robust healthcare resources that we have on Earth.”

“For example, cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer of people on Earth,” she continues. “The question came up while at NASA about putting astronauts on cholesterol management pharmaceuticals like statins. Well that seems reasonable to manage cholesterol and get cardiovascular risks low. But statins have side effects, and it would be very unfortunate to have a bad side effect when someone’s in space.”

Fogarty says she has always been fascinated by science and medicine since she was a child and was inspired by relatives’ careers as physicians and nurses.

“I always loved being out in nature, observing, playing and conserving,” she says. “They have a picture of me from when I was about 3 with my pockets full of frogs.”

“I believe 91�Թ��� will be a strong part of that ecosystem enabling research and operational support and providing occupational health knowledge and care.” — Jennifer Fogarty, chief scientist for 91�Թ���’s Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine

Space exploration and the sacrifices made were always a source of inspiration. She saw the Challenger explode on TV as a youngster and was a postdoctoral researcher at Kennedy Space Center during the Columbia accident. She says those experiences have solidified in her the promise and the dangers of space flight. Fogarty says she is thrilled to be at 91�Թ���, where she can work with university leaders to create a nationally recognized center for aerospace medicine and technology development.

“We’ve had the International Space Station for over 20 years and have had on the order of 100 people living and working in space. Now as commercial space ramps up, thousands are projected to go into space and be productive workers for different agencies, companies or countries,” she says. “I believe 91�Թ��� will be a strong part of that ecosystem enabling research and operational support and providing occupational health knowledge and care.”

Because of this, the mission presents an unprecedented opportunity to study how space exploration impacts human health, says �����’s Emmanuel Urquieta, a renowned space medicine expert and vice chair of space medicine at 91�Թ���’s College of Medicine.

“The radiation profile and composition could be comparable to what astronauts faced during the Apollo missions,” Urquieta says. “But 50 years ago, we lacked the technologies to understand in detail the long-term health consequences. Today, with genetic sequencing, molecular diagnostics and our understanding of gene expression, we can uncover so much more.”

To monitor and mitigate radiation risk, the Fram2 crew will wear dosimeters to track real-time exposure levels. Additionally, the astronauts will use portable X-ray equipment to take the first-ever bone images in space — a milestone that will allow researchers to assess bone density loss and study the effects of weightlessness on the skeletal system.

Urquieta is an internationally recognized leader in space medicine and its impact on human health. 91�Թ��� was founded to supply talent and research to our nation’s space program. With our location just 35 miles from Kennedy Space Center, “there couldn’t be a better place to study the health effects of human space flight,” he says.

With the rise of commercial space travel and NASA’s ambitions to return to the moon and eventually Mars, data from the Fram2 mission will be critical.

“These findings will help shape health strategies for future lunar and deep space missions,” Urquieta says.

As more people journey into space, the space medicine community is focused on health challenges, including radiation exposure, space motion sickness, and the impact of weightlessness on muscles and bones.

Launching March 31, Fram2 will carry a crew of two men and two women, including Eric Philips, a professional adventurer and guide known for leading ski expeditions to the North Pole and South Pole. The flight is named after a Norwegian ship that voyaged to the Arctic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912. It’s the first launch to have humans travel in the polar orbit.

This strategic collaboration combines Operator Solutions’ hands-on operational expertise with �����’s academic and research excellence to develop cutting-edge training programs, pioneer medical research and enhance real-world response capabilities in high-risk environments.

Key Initiatives of the Partnership

The collaboration will drive multiple initiatives aimed at improving medical preparedness in spaceflight and extreme environments.

• Developing Medical Training Modules for Commercial Spaceflight

Operator Solutions and 91�Թ��� will provide specialized training for physicians, paramedics, flight nurses, medical students and resident physicians. The focus will be on triage procedures, in-flight patient care using helicopters and managing mass casualty incidents at sea. Operator Solutions is also developing a medical skills lab at 91�Թ���, where paramedics can master critical techniques such as wound care, fluid resuscitation and stabilization under high-stress conditions. Additionally, trainees will gain hands-on experience in the College of Medicine’s Anatomy Lab, learning life-saving procedures like chest tube insertion and evisceration treatment.

• Enhancing In-flight Medical Care for Space Travelers

With the number of space travelers increasing and missions lasting longer, Operator Solutions and 91�Թ��� aim to develop new technologies to improve point-of-care medical treatment in space. Their research will focus on ultrasound and telemedicine systems for treating conditions such as kidney stones and blood clots, as well as real-time health monitoring solutions for astronauts — critical for long-duration missions, including those planned for Mars.

Advancing the Future of Aerospace Medicine

As America’s Space University, 91�Թ��� is the ideal academic partner for this endeavor. The university was founded to provide talent to fuel the nation’s space program and today is a national leader in many areas of space research, including developing new technologies for space missions and advancing the health and well-being of space travelers.

This partnership strengthens an unrivaled opportunity for 91�Թ��� students to prepare for careers in this rapidly growing field. 91�Թ��� is creating a new space medicine curriculum that will involve students from many disciplines, including medicine, nursing, engineering, computer science, optics and photonics — and establishing what will be the nation’s first master’s degree in space medicine.

Located in Melbourne, Florida, Operator Solutions combines decades of military, spaceflight and medical expertise to offer operational, rescue and recovery services to government and private companies. Its pararescuers are qualified to offer paramedic-level care anywhere in the world, including parachuting into remote rescue sites. The company specializes in open-ocean rescue of boaters and astronauts and helped develop procedures for astronaut rescue and retrieval for the commercial space program. Its workforce is 100% military veterans.

“This partnership represents a significant leap forward in aerospace medical training,” says Christopher Lais of Operator Solutions. “By combining our hands-on operational expertise with �����’s world-class academic research, we are creating a framework that will shape the future of spaceflight medical preparedness and emergency response.”

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair of at �����’s College of Medicine, emphasized the growing importance of aerospace medical training.

“As commercial space travel expands, ensuring that astronauts, spaceflight crews and emergency responders are equipped with essential medical knowledge and skills is critical,” Urquieta says. “This collaboration will push the boundaries of medical science and training, helping us ensure safety and preparedness in extreme environments.”

Urquieta is one of the world’s foremost leaders in space medicine. He came to 91�Թ��� after serving as chief medical officer of the NASA-funded Translational Institute for Space Health led by the Baylor College of Medicine. His goal is to make 91�Թ��� a model of interdisciplinary medical research focused on improving the health of space travelers and also those on Earth.

Setting the Standard for Space Mission Readiness

By leveraging their combined expertise, Operator Solutions and �����’s College of Medicine are establishing new benchmarks in medical education, research and operational readiness for both spaceflight and emergency response. This partnership is poised to transform aerospace medicine, delivering life-saving solutions for the next generation of space missions.

“We’re at the front-end of a point in history where we can lead the way in training specialists and researchers who want to be part of what’s never been done.”

Before joining �����’s College of Medicine in 2024 to develop one of the world’s only aerospace medicine programs, Urquieta volunteered to venture into places where he’d find people with immediate medical needs and limited resources to treat them. He flew around Mexico City on a helicopter. He traveled through villages in Africa where adults had never seen running water, let alone a doctor. Then, nearly a decade ago, Urquieta was selected to spend 30 days in a NASA simulation habitat known as the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) to gain a better understanding of the physical, mental and medical challenges

in space.

“All of those experiences now drive my work at 91�Թ���,” Urquieta says. “We’re at the front-end of a point in history where we can lead the way in training specialists and researchers who want to be part of what’s never been done.”

Urquieta says a new elective in aerospace medicine will be offered to students in �����’s College of Medicine later this year. A master’s degree and residency program will soon follow. In its entirety, the aerospace medicine program will include aviation training and spaceflight training for government and private commercial applications, allowing graduates to pursue a wide range of careers — some of which do not yet exist.

“I came to 91�Թ��� because we’re about to do something very different, which is a good fit for me. I like to think different.”

“It’s an exciting time,” says the mild-mannered Urquieta, pointing to the broader SpaceU initiative, which will position 91�Թ��� as the leading university in preparing students and Ph.D.s for every aspect of spaceflight. “I came to 91�Թ��� because we’re about to do something very different, which is a good fit for me. I like to think different.”

You’d be hard-pressed to find a resume like Urquieta’s. His interest in space and medicine began in Mexico City where his father worked as an aerospace engineer and his grandfather piloted planes for Mexicana Airlines.

“I thought I’d be a commercial pilot, too,” Urquieta says.

He earned his pilot’s license while completing medical school, and then combined his interests as a flight surgeon for Mexico City’s Police Department. This is where his perspective began to change. In a city of 25 million people, the department had only seven helicopters to conduct medical rescue missions.

“In that situation, the helicopter becomes a hospital for critically ill patients,” Urquieta says. “I call it a ‘resource poor environment.’ You have to scale down your tools to fit into a small workspace and then solve myriad medical scenarios with whatever is available. That was transformative for me. You have no choice but to think different.”

Urquieta learned similar problem-solving lessons during medical missions in Africa where his team encountered diseases they’d never seen, patients with no medical records, and where communication to the rest of the world was nearly impossible. They had to find life-saving solutions using the gear they carried. Urquieta excelled in those challenges, which explains why he jumped at the chance to move to Ohio and train at Wright State University after he heard about a rare program there: aerospace medicine.

“If you couldn’t tell by now, I like to figure out complex systems,” he says, “and very few systems are as complex as aviation, space and the human body.”

When the idea of commercial space flights with human bodies on board became more serious, Urquieta wanted to be involved. More specifically, he wanted to be fully immersed. So, he applied for a spot inside the HERA, where he could conduct first-person medical research during a month of isolation.

“I learned what it feels like to be in a high-tech environment while being limited to a few medical devices,” he says. “In space flight, you’re taking your entire healthcare system with you. Again, it’s about thinking differently.”

Urquieta would spend the next 10 years at Baylor College of Medicine as the chief medical officer for the Translational Research Institute for Space Health. His experiences in unique living labs had given him the background to manage medical research for public and private spaceflight missions to the moon and Mars.

And then came the perfect match. When Urquieta heard about 91�Թ��� leveraging its research capabilities, broad expertise and proximity to Cape Canaveral to bring the futuristic SpaceU brand into the active present, he saw it as his next logical step.

“Everything is here to develop a world-class aerospace medicine program.”

“Everything is here to develop a world-class aerospace medicine program,” he says. “We’re 45 minutes from all human launch activities. We have simulation training, a strong research program in hypersonic systems, space-related companies nearby, and a pipeline of talent going between 91�Թ���, NASA, and commercial space companies. Our college of medicine is young and nimble enough to focus on the next generations who will lead this new era of human spaceflight.”

Urquieta is far from alone. His team in the College of Medicine is collaborating with 12 other colleges at 91�Թ���, working on advances in fields like computer science, engineering, optics and photonics, and psychology.

“It’s rare to find a university with such a variety of knowledge at the same table, where medical people listen to engineers and engineers listen to medical people,” he says. “At the end of the day, humans traveling into space will need all of these highly trained experts working together to ensure health and safety. This is why I feel that I belong at 91�Թ���. Everything has led us to this time and place.”

Founded in 1963 with the mission to provide talent for Central Florida and the growing U.S. space program, the university’s extensive involvement in space research and education not only drives innovations in space technology but also prepares the next generation of leaders in the field.

With more than 40 active NASA projects totaling more than $67 million in funding, 91�Թ��� continues to push the frontiers of space research, and its contributions promise to help shape the future of humanity’s presence in the cosmos.

�����’s cutting-edge areas of space expertise include:

Space Medicine

�����’s College of Medicine is pioneering new frontiers in aerospace medicine, positioning itself as a leader in space health research and education. Spearheaded by initiatives to create an interdisciplinary curriculum, 91�Թ��� is integrating expertise from engineering, medicine and nursing to address the unique health challenges of space exploration.

The college is building on existing research in space health, including innovative studies on the effects of microgravity on bone health, which could lead to improved protection for astronauts. Collaborations across disciplines, such as testing therapeutics for radiation protection and developing antimicrobial solutions for space station environments, highlight �����’s commitment to advancing astronaut health and shaping the future of space medicine.

Space Propulsion and Power

91�Թ��� is advancing space propulsion with groundbreaking research that could make space travel more efficient and viable for future missions. Researchers are developing innovative hypersonic propulsion systems, such as rotating detonation rocket engines, which harness high-speed detonations to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce fuel consumption — an advancement that could significantly lower costs and emissions associated with space travel, creating new commercial opportunities in the industry. 91�Թ��� is taking its hypersonics research even further with its recently launched Center of Excellence in Hypersonic and Space Propulsion — the HyperSpace Center.

Additionally, 91�Թ��� teams are exploring novel power systems for spacecraft venturing far from the sun, where solar energy becomes impractical. With funding from NASA, researchers are creating storable chemical heat sources capable of providing essential heat and power in extreme environments, from the icy surfaces of distant moons to the intense heat of Venus.

Space Technology and Engineering

91�Թ��� is forging the future of space technology with innovations that push the boundaries of lunar and deep space exploration. Through advancements in lunar resource utilization, 91�Թ��� has developed methods to efficiently extract ice from lunar soil so that it can be transformed into vital resources like water and rocket fuel, while new techniques for processing lunar soil drastically reduce construction costs for infrastructure such as landing pads.

91�Թ��� researchers are also pioneering 3D-printed bricks made from lunar regolith that withstand extreme space conditions, setting the foundation for resilient off-world habitats. Lunar regolith is the loose dust, rocks and materials that cover the moon’s surface.

�����’s Exolith Lab, part of the , continues to lead in space hardware testing, advancing resource extraction and lunar construction technologies. Meanwhile, FSI’s CubeSat program is opening new doors in space exploration with compact, affordable satellites that give students and researchers access to microgravity and beyond.

Space Commercialization

91�Թ���’s new space commercialization program — led by , College of Business professor of practice and associate provost for space commercialization and strategy — positions the university as a leader in space-related business education.

Autry will guide the college’s efforts to deliver Executive and MBA programs in space commercialization, driving curriculum development and establishing space-focused programs that equip students to lead in the growing commercial space industry.

In addition to the space commercialization program, Autry will be working with external stakeholders, including NASA, the U.S. Space Force and commercial firms like Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, to develop opportunities to advance mutual interests in space.

This includes working with Kennedy Space Center to lead a State University System partnership with the state of Florida to develop the necessary talent to maintain and expand Florida’s leadership in space exploration and commercialization.

Autry will also be leading �����’s effort to develop and execute a roadmap for the university’s SpaceU brand through targeted investments in talent and facilities.

Space Domain Awareness

91�Թ��� is advancing space domain awareness research to protect critical assets in orbit by developing sophisticated algorithms for tracking and predicting the movement of objects such as satellites and asteroids, so they don’t collide with spacecraft. Under the guidance of aerospace engineering expert Tarek Elgohary, 91�Թ��� researchers are creating a computational framework to rapidly and accurately track space objects in real time. This initiative is backed by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Dynamic Data and Information Process Program.

91�Թ��� is also addressing the growing issue of orbital debris through a NASA-funded study that includes researchers from �����’s FSI and . This project seeks to increase public awareness and support for managing space debris, a hazard to satellites and potential space tourism ventures.

Workforce Development

91�Թ��� is propelling students toward dynamic careers in the space industry with hands-on programs and sought-after internship opportunities. Through the new engineering graduate certificate in electronic parts engineering, developed in collaboration with NASA, students are gaining essential skills in testing and evaluating space-ready electronic components — a key advantage for aspiring space professionals.

Additionally, 91�Թ��� students can benefit from hands-on internships at Kennedy Space Center, where they gain real-world experience in various fields, from engineering to project management.

At the , students gain direct experience in microgravity research and robotics. The center embodies �����’s commitment to democratizing space access, offering pathways for students from all backgrounds to participate in and contribute to the growing space industry.

FSI’s CubeSat program further immerses students in satellite design and operation, offering direct involvement in active space missions.

Planetary Science

91�Թ���’s planetary science program is driving breakthroughs in space exploration with projects spanning the moon, Mars and beyond. The NASA-funded Lunar-VISE mission, led by 91�Թ���, will explore the Gruithuisen domes on the far side of the moon to understand their volcanic origins, potentially unlocking insights crucial for future space exploration.

Complementing this, 91�Թ��� researchers are contributing to NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, which will map water ice deposits on the moon — an essential resource for sustained stays in space. On another front, 91�Թ��� scientists are studying dust behavior in microgravity through experiments that flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, potentially leading to strategies for mitigating lunar dust, a challenge for electronics and equipment on future missions.

Expanding its reach beyond the moon, �����’s planetary science research involves asteroid studies, including the high-profile OSIRIS-REx mission to asteroid Bennu and examining seismic wave propagation in simulated asteroid materials to understand asteroid evolution and early planetary formation. 91�Թ��� is also home to the , a node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, which facilitates NASA’s exploration of deep space by focusing its goals at the intersection of surface science and surface exploration of rocky, atmosphereless bodies.

Additionally, 91�Թ��� researchers are studying trans-Neptunian objects and using the James Webb Space Telescope to explore the solar system’s outer reaches, analyzing ancient ices to uncover clues about the solar system’s history, while also investigating exoplanets to advance our understanding of other planets and to search for life beyond Earth.

In parallel, 91�Թ��� researchers are also advancing bold ideas for terraforming Mars through nanoparticle dispersion to create warming effect, making the Red Planet potentially more habitable.

91�Թ��� researchers have also contributed their expertise to multiple high-profile NASA missions, including Cassini, Mars Pathfinder, Mars Curiosity, and New Horizons.

Advancing Astrophotonics, History and Policy

�����’s space research spans pioneering astrophotonics technology, studies in space history and critical analyses in space policy, each offering unique insights into the universe. The within CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics, is pushing the boundaries of photonics and astronomy, using tools like photonic lanterns, fiber optics, and hyperspectral imaging to detect cosmic phenomena and address profound questions about dark energy.

Meanwhile, delves into space history, exploring the cultural and scientific impacts of milestones like the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle program, helping illuminate humanity’s journey into space.

The contributes to this comprehensive approach with its broad studies of space policy, both domestically and internationally, including examining military space policy and rising space powers. The work involves studying space law, international agreements, and policy frameworks that guide space activities, which is essential for addressing the governance and strategic planning needed for space exploration and utilization.

Pioneering Tomorrow’s Space Exploration

91�Թ��� is pushing the frontiers of space research and education, tackling today’s challenges while preparing for the demands of future space missions. As the new space race continues, �����’s forward-thinking approach will continue to drive progress, inspire new possibilities and expand humanity’s reach into the universe.