Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Texas A&M Breaks Ground on New Space Institute

  • By Matt Jones
  • 11/21/24

The Texas A&M University Space Institute recently broke ground next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, according to a news release. The Nov. 15 groundbreaking ceremony followed the Nov. 7 approval by the Texas A&M University System’s Board of Regents of $200 million for the facility’s construction. The building will stand four stories and include research “garages” for research, lab space, classrooms, administrative space, and an auditorium, according to local news.

“This new $200 million facility, here next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, will support training for missions, including simulated landings on the moon and Mars, as well as advanced research and development in aeronautics, robotics, and other fields,” said Bill Mahomes, Texas A&M University System Board of Regents chairman. “The facility will be vital for partnerships, both research and commercial, that help Texas businesses as well as NASA stay at the forefront of the final frontier.”

The facility’s ultimate purpose is to place the university at the forefront of space engineering research and train students to meet the industry’s growing demand for professionals.

“Texas A&M officially added ‘space-grant university’ to our mission 35 years ago and we’re proud of all that has been accomplished by our world-class faculty over the years since then,” said Texas A&M President General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III. “Thanks to generous support from the state Legislature, this new institute will significantly elevate the university’s reputation as a global leader in space research, aeronautics and innovation, drawing attention from academia, government and private industry worldwide.”

According to local news, the building will cover 32 acres and include landscapes that recreate the surfaces of Mars and the moon, each the size of a football stadium.

The new facility will play a role in Mars exploration, lunar missions, and simulations for living on Mars and the moon. Its research facilities will also go toward developing technology like space suits, rovers, landers, and more, according to the news release.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • How Proactive Maintenance Can Transform Athletic Facilities into Strategic Assets for College Sports

    College athletics is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. With NIL reshaping financial models and competitive expectations, athletic departments across the country are being asked to do more than ever with increasingly constrained resources.

  • University of Kentucky Reopens Scovell Hall

    The University of Kentucky recently reopened Scovell Hall, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), following comprehensive renovations to the 120-year-old facility in Lexington, Ky., according to a news release.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • California District Opens New Robotics Center

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) in Cupertino, Calif., recently held a Grand Opening ceremony for a new, district-wide Robotics Center, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA); Landmark Constructors served as the builder and Blach Construction as general construction manager.