Landing humans on the moon was just a dream when UCF was founded in 1963. But we dared to believe — developing the talent and inventing the technologies to make it reality. That same spirit still drives us today.
We are America’s Space University. And we celebrate UCF Space Week to honor our origin as we dare to build what’s next.
Where Global Leaders Unite to Forge the Future of Space
UCF celebrated seven dynamic contributors to Central Florida’s robust space ecosystem with its 2026 SpaceU Awards.
America’s Space University honored two students, three faculty, a Pegasus Partner, and a space company leader for advancing space development, discovery, exploration and engagement. The awards were part of the second UCF Space Week, which runs Oct. 25-30 and showcases the university’s impact across the space sector.
Tuesday’s SpaceU Awards ceremony at the Celeste Hotel drew more than 200 community leaders and supporters from UCF, industry and government. The event also spotlighted the inaugural UCF Space Ideation Challenge, a national competition showcasing practical, forward-looking ideas to strengthen U.S. leadership in space and accelerate the emerging space economy.
“Their achievements remind us that exploration is about more than reaching new frontiers — it is about advancing knowledge, creating opportunities and improving lives on Earth and beyond.” — Alexander N. Cartwright, UCF president
“Our SpaceU Award recipients embody the ingenuity and determination that have defined UCF from the start. They ask bold questions, take on difficult challenges, and pursue ideas that have the potential to change what we know, what we can do and where we can go’,’ said UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Their achievements remind us that exploration is about more than reaching new frontiers — it is about advancing knowledge, creating opportunities and improving lives on Earth and beyond.”
UCF originated in 1963 to help supply talent and technology for Central Florida’s growing space program. Today, SpaceU has become a vital force for enhancing Florida’s vibrant space economy through excellence in research, innovation and workforce development — leading the nation in producing talent for the aerospace and defense industries.
Other Space Week events include the inaugural UCF Innovate Day, which highlights how university research translates into real-world applications; The Economist’s fourth-annual Space Economy Summit; the National Space Society’s Space Settlement Summit; and the SpaceU Symposium, featuring student, faculty and staff research. The week also includes a SpaceU Drone Show on Memory Mall and the 10th-annual Space Game against Baylor at Acrisure Bounce House Stadium.
Here are the 2026 SpaceU Awardees.
Student Space Research Award
Noah Brockhoff, Junior, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Brockhoff’s research is helping to address the critical challenge of minimizing the effects of moon dust on spacecraft and landing sites. At UCF’s Exolith Lab, the mechanical engineering major spent 300 hours building a simulated lunar lander to study how lunar dust traveling at terminal velocity could damage spacecraft. NASA is partnering with UCF on the research and plans to use the findings, connecting Brockhoff’s work directly to the future of space exploration.
Student Space Innovator Award
Keanu Brayman, Senior, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Brayman, a mechanical engineering major, is making contributions to space innovations with commercial applications. As an intern at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, he has worked on trajectory optimization for the Human Landing System, additive manufacturing technology for lunar resource utilization and robotic in-space laser welding — a necessity for assembling large structures on the lunar surface. Brayman is also a researcher in UCF’s Astrodynamics, Space and Robotics Laboratory, a Goldwater Scholar, and an Astronaut Scholar.
Early Career Space Achievement Faculty Award
Paula do Vale Pereira, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
do Vale Pereira develops approaches for exploring the hidden oceans of icy moons. She specializes in space systems, spacecraft engineering, and planetary exploration technologies for navigating some of the solar system’s most challenging environments. do Vale Pereira contributes to shaping the next decade of planetary exploration through NASA’s Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy and the Ocean Worlds Working Group. Her lab investigates spacecraft thermal performance, orbital dynamics, lunar surface power transmission, and innovative satellite structures.
Mid-Career Space Achievement Faculty Award
Emmanuel Urquieta, Associate Professor of Medicine, Vice Chair for Aerospace Medicine, College of Medicine
Urquieta is a physician and scientist helping to make human spaceflight safer through research, education, and aerospace-medicine leadership. He founded and directs SpaceU’s Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine, leading UCF’s efforts to promote research, education, clinical care, and operational capabilities to protect human health and performance in space. At UCF, he established Florida’s first academic Division of Aerospace Medicine and spearheaded the development of an aerospace medicine residency, master’s degree program, and specialized research and simulation capabilities for future exploration missions.
Lifetime Space Achievement Faculty Award
Daniel Britt, Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, College of Sciences
Britt’s trailblazing contributions to planetary science have expanded the world’s understanding of the solar system. A member of several NASA mission teams, he managed the camera project for Mars Pathfinder and has contributed hardware to Mars missions, extending UCF technology in reaching the stars. He directs UCF’s Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science and studies the physical properties of asteroids, comets, the moon and Mars. Since joining UCF in 2003, his honors include six NASA Achievement Awards and an asteroid named 4395 Danbritt.
Industry Partner Impact Award
Lockheed Martin
Global industry leader Lockheed Martin is a cornerstone of Florida’s space ecosystem and a long-time champion of UCF. Since 1981, Lockheed Martin’s College Work Experience Program at UCF has provided paid professional opportunities to more than 10,000 students. Many have gone on to join the company. The partnership also supports mentorship, scholarships and cutting-edge faculty research in robotics, AI, advanced manufacturing and hypersonics. Last year, Lockheed Martin became a Pegasus Partner, expanding collaboration with UCF on research, workforce development and economic growth.
Innovative Space Leader Award
Michael Edmonds, Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Origin
Edmonds’ leadership fosters business, government and customer relationships essential to the growth of commercial space. He also serves as president of Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s nonprofit dedicated to inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Under Edmonds’ leadership, the organization has awarded $1 million in grants to 19 space-focused nonprofits, extending STEAM outreach worldwide. Through educational challenges and postcards flown to space and back, the club makes exploration tangible for students across the globe.
