America’s Space University
When UCF was founded in 1963, landing humans on the moon was a dream that seemed beyond reach. But we dared to believe — and we educated the workforce and pioneered the technology that helped make it reality. And so, America’s Space University was born.
A leading institution in space research, innovation and education for 60+ years, UCF is where engineering, technology and creativity converge. Our distinguished faculty collaborate across disciplines to solve society’s greatest challenges — on Earth and in space. Our powerful partnerships advance industry to improve the human experience. And we provide access to excellence and opportunity at scale, equipping students for fulfilling roles of the future.
Bold Space Research
UCF is home to world-renowned experts pioneering the possibilities in space. Our faculty are leading innovators, driving breakthroughs that will impact humanity for generations. Their work isn’t just pushing the boundaries of knowledge — it’s building the future.
Daniel Britt
Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences
Replicating Regolith: Renowned planetary scientist Daniel Britt founded the Exolith Lab — a space hardware testing and regolith simulant (space dirt) research facility — at UCF in 2018. He and his team conduct experiments in conjunction with NASA as well as their own research, including in-situ resource utilization, with high-fidelity lunar, Martian and asteroid regolith.
Impact to Industry: The lab boasts a test bin with the world’s largest simulated lunar surface, replicating the moon’s South Pole region. Humans will explore the area for the first time during NASA’s Artemis program in hopes of uncovering resources to sustain humankind’s presence in space, among other mission goals.
Emmanuel Urquieta
Vice Chair of Aerospace Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine
Collaborative Curriculum: A recognized leader in his industry, Emmanuel Urquieta is developing our groundbreaking degree and residency program in aerospace medicine. The only one of its kind in the nation, this program helps define the future of the field — bridging medicine, nursing, engineering, computer science, and optics and photonics to remedy the health challenges of human space exploration.
Impact to Industry: To sustain life beyond Earth, we must understand the impacts of space on the human body. The discoveries we make in aerospace medicine won’t just ensure the survival of humans in space. They will revolutionize healthcare on Earth — transforming the way we diagnose, treat and heal.
Kerri Donaldson Hanna
Planetary Geologist and Associate Professor
Adrienne Dove
Interim Department Chair of Physics and Associate Professor
Unlocking Lunar Resources: UCF planetary scientists Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove are leading NASA’s Lunar-VISE (Lunar Vulkan Imaging Spectroscopy Explorer) mission to send a robotic lander and rover to the moon’s previously unexplored Gruithuisen Domes. Complementing this, Donaldson Hanna is also contributing to NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, which launched in early 2025 to map water ice deposits on the moon — an essential resource for sustained stays in space.
Impact to Industry: The moon’s unusual volcanic domes may hold clues to the history of lunar volcanic activity. The area also appears to have large concentrations of heat-producing elements, which could potentially be used for resources for long-term presence on the moon — and exploration far beyond. This vital work will chart new paths for humanity’s future in space.
Melanie Coathup
Lead of the Biionix Cluster and Professor of Medicine
Bolstering Bone Density: Biomedical engineer Melanie Coathup is recognized for developing groundbreaking technologies and therapies to protect, repair and rebuild damaged bones. As part of a UCF-led research team working on Blue Origin’s NS-24 mission, she conducted a study to better understand how fluid changes in microgravity contribute to bone degeneration.
Impact to Industry: Microgravity- and radiation-induced bone loss is a serious health risk for long-term space travelers, as astronauts who stay in space for extended periods can lose up to 1% to 2% of bone density per month. This significant bone loss can place space travelers at risk for bone fracture and an early-onset spaceflight-induced osteoporosis. Through Coathup’s work, we can help mitigate the issue to focus on safe space exploration.
Terraforming Mars
Accomplished UCF physics researcher and planetary scientist Ramses Ramirez and collaborators have boldly reimagined terraforming Mars by using the planet’s own resources. Their research shows nanorods made from Martian soil could warm the surface 5,000 times more effectively than previous methods, potentially creating a habitable world.
Centers for Space Excellence
UCF research isn’t confined to the lab — it’s launched into action. Our cutting-edge facilities serve as dynamic hubs where students, faculty and industry leaders come together to unlock new discoveries, and advance space exploration and commercialization. Explore some of our most significant centers of excellence in the space sector:
Engineering Faster Hypersonic Travel
Led by esteemed UCF researcher Kareem Ahmed, the HyperSpace Center is a partnership with the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research to revolutionize space exploration and accelerate discovery through faster, more efficient travel.
Simulating Lunar Landscapes for Life in Space
Founded by UCF’s Daniel Britt, the Exolith Lab houses the world’s largest simulated lunar surface, where researchers can efficiently and safely test space hardware and develop in-situ resource utilization techniques to sustain human life in space.
Training the Next Great Microgravity Researchers
Directed by UCF’s Philip Metzger ’00MS ’05PhD, the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education provides hands-on training in executing space experiments through parabolic airplane flights, drop towers, suborbital rocket flights and orbital flights.
Other Notable UCF Institutes and Affiliations
- Astrophotonics Research Group
- Center for Advanced Turbomachinery & Energy Research
- Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science
- Central Florida Research Park, adjacent to UCF
- Florida High Tech Corridor, anchored by UCF
- Florida Space Institute
- Institute for Simulation and Training
- Townes Laser Institute
Partnerships That Advance the Space Industry
UCF sits at the epicenter of the space industry, located only 35 miles from Florida’s Space Coast, with unmatched access to top space and aerospace companies, cutting-edge research, and the next frontier of exploration.
By partnering with industry, we not only lead powerful research, but also develop programs to educate well-equipped talent and unlock opportunities for roles of the future. Our deep collaborations with top aerospace companies, space agencies and emerging innovators power economic growth at both regional and national levels.
These impactful partnerships do more than keep pace with industry — they set the trajectory for what’s next.
Other Notable Space Partners
NASA: Powering Discovery and the Space Workforce
Through six decades of partnership with NASA, UCF serves as a direct pipeline for talent, research and innovation. From bolstering planetary knowledge to innovating advanced space systems, UCF continues to be a trusted partner in NASA’s mission to explore beyond Earth.
29% of Kennedy Space Center Employees are UCF alumni
providing in-demand talent for space exploration
Blue Origin: Experimenting at the Edge of Space
UCF’s research goes beyond simply reaching for the stars — it soars among them. These missions provide unparalleled opportunities for faculty and students to push the boundaries of discovery and pave the way for the future of space exploration.
14 UCF experiments have been sent to space aboard commercial rockets since 2016
solidifying our role as a leader in hands-on, space-based research
Preparing the Next Generation to Lead the Space Economy
Greg Autry
At UCF, the same relentless spirit that fueled our original mission still powers our commitment to space exploration and education today. Space is no longer just a frontier — it’s the future, with the global space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.
To unlock the vast resources of space to advance humanity, we must continue to drive discovery and educate the next generation of visionaries and leaders here at America’s Space University.
Expanding Expertise
Long recognized as a leader in space research and innovation, UCF is now expanding our impact into space commercialization and the rapidly evolving business of space. These efforts are spearheaded by globally recognized expert — and UCF associate provost for space commercialization and strategy — Greg Autry, who served on the NASA Agency Review Team and as NASA’s White House liaison.
Impact to Industry
With a focus on the future, this program will produce a pipeline of well-prepared graduates, poised to become the leaders who will power the space economy boom. As a key component of advancing the space sector, space commercialization is vital to everything from promoting economic growth and ensuring national security to sustaining life in space and enabling continuous innovation that benefits all of humankind.
…We already have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and this unique location. I want students to come to UCF knowing they can participate in an industry that’s about to take off, no matter what field they’re interested in. This is the place to be.”
Fueling the Space Talent Pipeline
As Florida’s premier engineering and technology university, UCF prepares the next generation of engineers, scientists and visionaries — at scale — to tackle today’s challenges for a better tomorrow. Armed with cutting-edge skills and real-world experience, UCF graduates don’t just enter the workforce — they lead it, shaping the future of space exploration, discovery and technology.
1 in 4 of Florida’s Engineering Graduates Come from UCF
making UCF the driving force behind the state’s tech and space workforce (State University System)
No. 1 Supplier of Talent to the Nation’s Aerospace and Defense Industries
for six years in a row — fueling innovation where it matters most (Aviation Week Network)
Industry is interested in our top talent. Once they graduate, they are already hired by industry, pretrained on the topics they would explore — and they become the next generation of leaders…”
35+ Space-related Degrees
Students at America’s Space University have exceptional opportunities to learn from industry’s foremost experts — in the classroom, in the lab and in the field — across our myriad space-related degree programs spanning every level of academia. As students find their niche to hone their skills, the sky is no longer the limit for where a UCF education can take them.
Bachelor’s Degrees
- Aerospace Engineering BSAE
- Electrical Engineering – RF and Microwaves
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Computer Science- Cyber Security and Privacy
- Electrical Engineering – Communication and Signal Processing
- Photonic Science and Engineering
- Data Science
- Physics
- Physics- Information Technology/Data Science Concentration
- Physics- Nanoscale Science & Technology Concentration
- Physics- Astronomy
- Physics- Computational
- Physics- Materials
- Physics- Optics and Lasers
Graduate Degrees
- Aerospace Engineering- Space Systems Design and Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering- Thermofluid Aerodynamic Systems Design and Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering- Guidance Control and Dynamics
- Modeling and Simulation
- Robotics and Autonomous Systems
- Computer Vision
- Optics and Photonics
- Physics
- Physics – Planetary Sciences
- Statistics and Data Science- Data Science Track
Doctoral Degrees
UCF Online Degrees
Additional Degree Programs
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