Western Michigan University and University of Michigan receive grant to participate in United States Space Force project

Western Michigan University and the University of Michigan are two of nine universities to receive a grant from the United States Space Force to help the University of Michigan establish the Space Power and Propulsion for Agility, Responsiveness and Resilience (SPAR) Institute. The SPAR Institute will develop power and propulsion technologies that will aid the United States Space Force in space exploration.

According to an article on Western Michigan University’s website, Dr. Kristina Lemmer, who is the director of the Aerospace Laboratory for Plasma Experiments (ALPE) and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Western Michigan University, is one of the individuals leading the project. She is quoted as saying of goals of the project, "The institute will demonstrate prototypes for universal, modular systems enabled by an innovative, ultra-compact method for nuclear power generation and a novel technique for highly throttleable, multi-mode (electric and chemical) propulsion.”

The grant project, the establishment of the SPAR Institute, will last for five years and will include the participation of 14 partner institutions and organizations. Other players in the project include Cornell University, University of Washington, University of Colorado Boulder, Princeton University, University of Wisconsin, Colorado State University, Pennsylvania State University, Ultrasafe Nuclear Corporation, Antora Energy, Spark Thermionics, Ultramet, Cislunar Industries, Champaign-Urbana Aerospace, Benchmark Space Systems, Advanced Cooling Technologies, NuWaves Inc., and Analytical Mechanics Associates.

The SPAR Institute partner organizations will divide into teams and work on various parts of the project. Some of the teams will look into different propulsion methods, called thrusters, and each one will rely on the work of the Aerospace Laboratory for Plasma Experiments, which exists in collaboration with Champaign-Urbana Aerospace.

Lemmer said, “ALPE at WMU has significant expertise in the analysis of novel propellants for electric propulsion. This expertise will play a vital role in the institute.”

According to an article on the University of Michigan’s website, Joshua Carlson, who is the the Space Force program manager for this project, was quoted as saying, “The Space Force is tasked with securing America’s interests in, from and to space. We’re very pleased to work with University of Michigan, and their partners, just like we are for all our other efforts under the USSF University Consortium, as we seek to maintain the Space Force’s edge in great power competition.”

For more information about Western Michigan University, visit the school’s website.

For more information about the University of Michigan, visit the school’s website.