UW Aero & Astro is advancing key elements of space exploration from design and construction to launch of CubeSats and sounding rockets, autonomous control and navigation, precision landing on lunar and Martian surfaces, rendezvous and docking, constellations and cooperative robotics. We are developing new materials for spacecraft structures, crucial mechanisms such as reusable landing gear based on principles of origami, better methods for space launches for both crewed and uncrewed missions, advanced propulsion systems for long-range spaceflight, and techniques to slow a spacecraft during reentry.
Key faculty
Key labs
- Aerospace Thermal Lab
- Autonomous Control Laboratory
- Computational Plasma Dynamics
- Detonation Engines
- Flow Z-Pinch Lab
- The illimited Lab
- Multiscale Analysis of Materials & Structures (MAMS)
- Nonlinear Dynamics & Control Lab
- Robotics, Aerospace, and Information Networks (RAIN) Laboratory
- Space Propulsion and Concepts Engineering Laboratory (SPACE) Lab)
- Williams Turbulence Laboratory
Award-winning student clubs
SEDS: Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
SEDS is a national student organization that advocates for space exploration and development. Our UW SEDS chapter engages members with engineering challenges and competitions, space policy, and networking within the industry. We empower students to learn about space and engineer the solutions to reach it.
Aeronautics & Astronautics CubeSat Team (AACT)
AACT is an organization of faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students working together to design, build and test CubeSats. Our mission is to teach students the fundamentals of space systems and provide a hands-on experience that complements academic work.
SARP
As UW's student-run rocketry organization, we design, construct, test, and launch a hybrid engine rocket from the ground up every year. We participate in the international Experimental Sounding Rocket Association’s (ERSA) Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC). In 2018, we placed first in the highest altitude category at 30,000 feet with a student-researched and designed propulsion system.
Research highlights
Updating Apollo 11
Researchers show us what we gain by applying optimization algorithms to the iconic mission.
More efficient rockets
Ph.D. student James Koch's research on rotating detonation engines may aid in building cheaper, lighter spacecraft.
Landing big on Mars
A&A is researching supersonic retropropulsion, a leading technique to slow down and land large spacecrafts on Mars.
Origami could soften space landings
A&A researchers have developed a novel solution, inspired by origami, to help reduce impact forces.
Award highlights
A&A’s Carter Vu named 2020 Astronaut Scholar
Carter Vu was selected for the elite Astronaut Scholarship, established to support rising STEM leaders in the US.
A&A CubeSat secures exclusive NASA spot
A&A’s CubeSat Team, launched only in 2018, has secured one of only 18 spots for its “SOC-i” CubeSat in the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI).
A&A leads $1.2M NSF grant to advance autonomy through Mars missions insights
A research team spanning three universities led by A&A professor Behçet Açıkmeşe received a total of $1.2 million from the NSF.
SARP wins Spaceport America Cup
SARP, the UW rocketry team, clinched the top spot as the 2019 Judge’s Choice and Overall Winner with its hybrid rocket.
