HOUGHTON, MI-- A Michigan Technological University professor has been tapped to lead a new space technology research institute at the school.
Professor of Computational Mechanics Greg Odegard will head the STRI, which will be funded by a $15 million, five-year grant from NASA. Odegard’s team will include 22 faculty members from ten universities, two companies, and the U.S. Air Force Research Lab.
The STRI will be called the Institute for Ultra-Strong Composites by Computational Design, or US-Comp.
Officials say as NASA shifts its focus from low-earth orbit to deep space exploration, it’s going to need building materials for vehicles, habitats, power systems and other equipment that are lighter and stronger than those available today. US-Comp’s goal is to develop and deploy a carbon nanotube-based, ultra-high strength lightweight aerospace structural material within five years.
