Liftoff
Aerospace has a new home at CU Boulder.
The Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences has moved into its new dedicated building on East Campus.
Eighteen months after construction began, the four-story, 175,000-square-foot structure was completed over the summer. Classes and research are underway inside.
“This new building celebrates a bright and vibrant future in aerospace for the university, our students, the state of Colorado and our nation,” said Bobby Braun, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Discussions with faculty and students influenced the design of the facility. It will allow for expanded course offerings, facilitate new research collaborations and cement CU Boulder as the hub of Colorado’s aerospace industry, which is ranked first in the United States in private employment concentration.
“This building allows us to bring together all of our aerospace research enterprises and teaching enterprises in one beautiful location that we can showcase to the world,” said Brian Argrow, chair of Smead Aerospace. “Colorado is a leader in this field, and having a facility like this demonstrates our generational commitment.”
Above photo: Drones lift a ‘Cut Before Flight’ ribbon to Ann Smead (left) and Brian Argrow at the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building grand opening ceremony on August 26, 2019.
In the year 2071
A time capsule containing aerospace artifacts will stay burined buried in front of the new aerospace building until 2071.
Building better space situational awareness
Marcus Holzinger is investigating ways to track objects in orbit, and his team is taking full advantage of the new aerospace engineering sciences building to do it.
“This building is world class, and I was hired before the blueprints were finalized, so they were able to add something—pouring an extra thick concrete pad on the roof in one area to add an 18-foot dome for telescopes,” Holzinger said.
Holzinger, an associate professor and Smead faculty fellow, researches space situational awareness (SSA), which involves monitoring satellites and debris orbiting the Earth.
It’s a field that got a boost in public awareness from the film Gravity, in which debris from a destroyed satellite sets off a chain reaction of crashes and failures.
While Gravity was fiction, the principle behind it is not. The risk of a cascade failure in orbit has been a concern of space scientists since the late ’70s.
Today, the Air Force and NASA maintain tracking networks, keeping tabs on everything in orbit larger than a grapefruit. Holzinger’s work is about improving those tracking systems and designing systems so satellites can avoid obstacles autonomously.
The dome Holzinger is placing on the roof will house three robotic telescopes that focus on nearby space-based objects.
Aerospace walk of fame
A special outdoor feature at the new building was created to illustrate the state’s bright and active aerospace industry in a concrete way—literally.
The brick walkway leading to the northeast entrance of the building has engraved pavers with the names of every aerospace company that has operations in or calls Colorado home.
“There are 462 companies named,” said Doug Smith, associate dean for programs and engagement. “We did fairly serious research internally and with the Colorado Space Coalition to make the list. We wanted to include everyone.”
Colorado has the second-largest aerospace economy in the country, employing more than 190,000 people in space-related jobs.
Donation will further fuel aerospace initiatives
An anonymous alumnus is providing $1 million to endow two funds for project-based learning: The K.D. Wood Student Scholar Fund and the K.D. Wood Projects Scholar Award.
Karl Dawson “K.D.” Wood was a pioneer in plane and spacecraft design who founded the aeronautical engineering department at CU Boulder in 1946 and served as the department’s first chair.
As a professor, he emphasized project-based learning, which had a lifelong impact on the donor, said Erin Gage, director of development in the Office of Advancement.
“This alumnus thrived in that environment, and it’s what he’s done in his career. As a donor, his intention from the beginning was to honor Professor Wood,” Gage said.
Wood died in 1995 at age 96. His son, Bob, an aerospace engineer who graduated from CU Boulder, said the gift is a fitting honor.
“My father always stressed the importance of doing things hands-on. That’s how he learned while working for the airplane companies, and so he taught the same way to students,” Wood said.
K.D. Wood officially retired from CU Boulder in 1967, but remained an active instructor in the department, continuing to teach into his 80s.
The Student Scholar Fund will support scholarships for graduate students interested in industry careers. The Projects Scholar Award will be used to recruit additional industry professionals to serve on the faculty.