NASA has chosen three university teams to tackle modern aviation challenges, aiming to change the way we fly in our communities.
Through its University Leadership Initiative (ULI), NASA offers undergraduates and graduates a chance to get involved in real flight research. Students will gain valuable hands-on experience while collaborating with peers from other universities and industry experts.
This year marks the eighth round of ULI awards. The teams will focus on innovative topics like:
- Enhancing communication frequencies for better information transfer
Koushik Datta, a project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center, emphasized the importance of merging faculty expertise, student creativity, and industry experience. He believes these teams will push forward NASA’s goals for 21st-century aviation.
NASA plans to invest up to $20.7 million over three years in these selected teams. Here’s a brief look at their projects:
One team will develop reliable, autonomous safety systems for aviation. This could involve the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Partners include:
The Pennsylvania State University, North Carolina A&T State University, University of Florida, Stanford University, Santa Fe Community College, and companies like Collins Aerospace and ResilienX.
Another team will focus on understanding the complex communications within collaborative and autonomous airspace systems. Their members are:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Stanford University, University of Minnesota, North Carolina State University, University of California at Santa Barbara, El Paso Community College, Durham Technical Community College, Aurora Flight Sciences, and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory.
The last team will explore self-diagnostic health management systems for Advanced Air Mobility vehicles. Their collaborators include:
Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Southern California, Collins Aerospace, and Argonne National Laboratory.
The ULI program is part of NASA’s broader University Innovation initiative, which also includes the University Student Research Challenge and the Gateways to Blue Skies competition.
Stay tuned for announcements on upcoming opportunities to submit proposals for the next round of ULI selections.
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Source linkAeronautics, Flight Innovation, Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program, University Innovation, University Leadership Initiative
