ASTREC

Advanced Space Technologies Research & Engineering Center (ASTREC)

 

An Industry/University Cooperative Research Center founded in 1981, ASTREC aims to provide leading-edge research that is industry-driven to produce integrated, concurrent small satellite design including technology development, fabrication, verification, validation and technology transfer. The objective is to provide improvements in time to orbit, lower cost, maximum flexibility in design accommodation, and performance.

 

ASTREC’s vision is to become a leading research, education, and training resource for the space industry with the stated purpose of developing and validating innovative space technologies with the following goals:

 

• To offer the space industry a responsive, cost effective approach to space exploration and use;

 

• To educate the next generation of “rocket scientists” through its educational efforts; and

 

• To provide the space industry an avenue for transforming its culture from risk averse to risk tolerant through its validated innovations.

ASTREC uses an application-specific philosophy for its R&D activities; i.e., its research efforts (both fundamental and applied) are relevant to the needs of the space industry and address improvements in cost, schedule and/or performance.