Header image: Graduate students Michael Klonowski, left, and Daniel Aguilar-Marsillach, right, work in the Raytheon Space & Intelligence Vision, Autonomy, and Decision Research Lab at CU Boulder, which studies new methods for tracking and managing satellite traffic in space. (Credit: CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science)听
The University of Colorado Boulder has received a $2 million gift from听听to support the university鈥檚 diverse research in aerospace and national defense鈥攆rom tracking and protecting satellites in orbit to improving the security of mobile devices.
The effort dovetails with a听new research partnership听between the CU system and the U.S. Space Force that was announced Aug. 20.听
The recent award and research partnership will bolster the efforts of CU Boulder鈥檚听Center for National Security Initiatives听(NSI). Launched in 2019, NSI brings together the work of more than 40 faculty members in engineering, computer science, physics and more, with a focus on keeping people safe in an increasingly connected world.听
鈥淔or generations, CU Boulder鈥檚 researchers and alumni have led the way in humanity鈥檚 exploration of the solar system,鈥� said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. 鈥淭heir research in aerospace has also led to technologies that improve the lives of people right here on Earth. The Anschutz Foundation gift, coupled with the new U.S. Space Force partnership, allows us to continue inspiring new scientists and engineers to solve real-world problems.鈥澨�
The commitments showcase the state of Colorado鈥檚 growing role as a national leader in defense and space exploration, said Christian Anschutz, president of The Anschutz Foundation. The state boasts the largest aerospace industry in the country on a per capita basis.
鈥淏usinesses across Colorado face an urgent need for trained professionals to design and operate the spacecraft of the future, develop new autonomous vehicles and protect us from the threat of cyberattacks,鈥� said Anschutz, who earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in history from CU Boulder in 2000. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working with CU Boulder to train the next generation of leaders who will build on the state鈥檚 legacy as a center of innovation.鈥�
Iain Boyd, director of NSI, noted that the gift underscores how universities can help the United States address new challenges, such as safeguarding the more than 3,000 satellites in orbit from cyberattacks. People depend on these spacecraft for communications, navigation and more.
鈥淎dvanced technology continues to play an increased role in national security, and the pace of advancement is ever-increasing,鈥� said Boyd, a professor in the听Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. 鈥淣SI seeks to create new opportunities by evolving existing, fundamental research capabilities at CU and applying them to the challenges of national security.鈥�
Future leaders
Boyd added that the gift will help CU Boulder recruit new research associates who will add depth and breadth to the campus鈥檚 research capabilities. Currently, the state鈥檚 aerospace sector employs about 33,000 people spread across 300 companies, most of which are small businesses. According to Boyd, that number is only going to grow.
鈥淭he expansion of research opportunities in the national security domain enabled by The Anschutz Foundation gift will directly result in the graduation of a growing number of students with critical expertise needed by the aerospace and defense sector in Colorado and across the nation,鈥� he said.
NSI researchers have already made important contributions in developing new technologies that will improve the lives of people everywhere. Researchers at CU Boulder, for example, have led efforts to design fleets of autonomous vehicles that听monitor tornadoes听and may one day听conduct search and rescue operations听deep underground.听
Marcus Holzinger, associate professor in the Ann and HJ Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences department,听recently spoke to the U.S. Senate听about efforts to track the locations of orbiting satellites鈥攁nd prevent them from colliding in space. And Boyd leads a听$15 million NASA research effort听to study hypersonic entry vehicles that enable exploration of planets and moons.听
The NSI team is focused on recruiting research associates and training students in a variety of fields including hypersonics, autonomous systems, space domain awareness, positioning-navigation-and-timing, cybersecurity, radio-frequency engineering and geospatial data analytics.
鈥淭he expansion of NSI activities through the hiring of research associates will significantly broaden the research and educational opportunities available to our students while expanding our research impact and enabling increased partnerships with the aerospace sector,鈥� Boyd said.
