Space Dynamics Lab contract gains sky-high funding
The Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University has been awarded a $1 billion contract by the Air Force Research Laboratory.
According to an article published on the AFRL’s website, the agreement is the “largest-ever contract for space-related technology development and mission support.”
The contract is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity deal in which the government grants up to $1 billion to USU for the next 10 years to fund whatever projects the air force needs them to work on.
Eric Warren, the director of public relations for the SDL, further explained their background and how the contract will be used by the organization in a variety of ways over the next decade.
SDL is a University Affiliated Research Center, or UARC, one of the 14 in the U.S. Established by the Department of Defense in 1996, UARC ensures engineering and technology capabilities are maintained, according to Warren.
“Each UARC provides core capabilities to the government research and engineering community,” he said.
Warren continued to explain SDL and other UARC locations also serve as trusted government advisors to develop government-owned solutions to problems on a national level using their expertise in their respective core competency.
According to the organization’s website, the SDL’s core competencies include electro-optical sensor systems research and development; modular open systems architecture for airborne, space and ground applications; sensor modeling and simulation; and several other developing technologies and programs.
The $1 billion contract will be used in these areas depending on the needs of the AFRL.
The SDL has been working with the AFRL since the 50s when the SDL was started in part using a $60,000 contract from the AFRL to create an instrument that could characterize emissions in the atmosphere.
The large contract and opportunities available through the SDL have also been a sense of excitement and motivation among some USU students.
Daniela Medina, a mechanical engineering student at USU looking for an internship with the SDL, said the contract has helped her realize what she is working for.
“Having that emphasis in aerospace is super exciting every time I think about all these different projects, and I hear about all these different companies, Medina said. “Seeing other people do what I want to do in the future is just exciting.”
Jed Hancock, the president of the SDL, holds a similar bright outlook towards the future of the organization and its relationship with the AFRL.
“This contract represents a vital contribution to ensuring that the United States remains on the leading edge of research and development for space-based technologies,” Hancock said. “The Space Dynamics Laboratory is honored to be a trusted partner of the Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.S. Space Force to develop technologies for new missions and maintain core capabilities for national defense.”
Hancock also said the SDL remains committed to developing new capabilities and maintaining a strong relationship with UARC.
“We look to a bright future in providing innovative solutions to expand our knowledge of space and how we work in it,” Hancock said.
Students who are interested in working for the space organization can go to https://www.sdl.usu.edu/employment/careers.
Those who simply want to learn more about the galaxy can attend the James Webb Telescope Watch Party on Dec. 22 at 4:30 am in Eccles Learning Science Center in Room 130 or through Zoom.
-Brock.Marchant@usu.edu