Founded to reach the moon, we’re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America’s Space University celebrates �鶹ӳ����ý Space Week Nov. 3-7.

Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space

With world-renowned faculty, hands-on learning experiences and a location less than an hour from Florida’s Space Coast, �鶹ӳ����ý continues to prove why it’s known as America’s Space University — where education, industry and exploration unite to shape the future of space.

Today marks the start of the inaugural �鶹ӳ����ý Space Week, a university-wide celebration of all the ways Knight Nation boldly pushes space forward. The observance highlights �鶹ӳ����ý’s vital role in advancing space research, supporting Florida’s fast-growing space economy, and preparing the next generation of explorers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

Here are a few key reasons why we celebrate �鶹ӳ����ý Space Week and how SpaceU is launching the next era of space innovation.

A Legacy in Fueling the Space Industry’s Talent Pipeline

When the university first opened in 1963, landing humans on the moon was a dream that seemed out of reach. Yet �鶹ӳ����ý dared to believe — and take action — by supplying talent and research to the nearby space industry based on the Space Coast just 35 miles east. �鶹ӳ����ý’s purpose has only grown stronger more than six decades later as space exploration fuels transformative innovation here on Earth.

Every year, thousands of students gain real-world experience, conduct interdisciplinary research and participate in programs — including a new aerospace medicine program — directly connected to industry, preparing them for in-demand roles across the space sector.

The university’s excellence in providing talent is supported by data, as the American Society of Engineering Education consistently ranks �鶹ӳ����ý in the top five nationally for awarding bachelor’s degrees in:

• Aerospace engineering (No. 4)
• Mechanical engineering (No. 5)
• Computer science (No. 5)
• And No. 10 for awarding engineering bachelor’s degrees overall — the highest in Florida

Advancing Research That Reaches New Frontiers

When visionaries look to the future, they also look to �鶹ӳ����ý — a leader in space research, innovation and education with 14 experiments sent to space aboard commercial rockets since 2016. �鶹ӳ����ý Space Week shines a spotlight on these breakthroughs, connecting the community with the pioneering work happening right on campus.

Replicating Regolith
Researcher: Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences Daniel Britt
Project: Britt, a renowned planetary scientist, founded the in 2018 — a leading facility for space hardware testing and regolith (space dirt) research. Partnering with NASA, Britt and his team study lunar, Martian and asteroid materials to advance in-situ resource utilization and other exploration technologies.

Unlocking Lunar Resources
Researchers: Planetary Geologist and Associate Professor Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Interim Department Chair of Physics and Associate Professor Adrienne Dove
Project: Donaldson Hanna and Dove are leading NASA’s Lunar-VISE (Lunar Vulkan Imaging Spectroscopy Explorer) mission, which aims to uncover clues about an unexplored part of the moon and potential insight for deeper space exploration.

Bolstering Bone Density
Researcher: Melanie Coathup, lead of the Biionix Cluster and professor of medicine
Project: Astronauts can lose up to 2% of their bone density each month — a serious risk that can lead to fractures and spaceflight-induced osteoporosis. As part of a �鶹ӳ����ý-led team on Blue Origin’s NS-24 mission, Coathup studied how fluid shifts in microgravity contribute to bone loss — research that could improve health both in space and on Earth.

Building Partnerships That Propel Discovery

�鶹ӳ����ý Space Week highlights these crucial collaborations with support from Blue Origin, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, Space Florida and SpaceX.

At the heart of �鶹ӳ����ý’s success is collaboration. The university works closely with NASA, private companies and research institutions to create opportunities that bridge education, research and real-world application. These partnerships help students gain experience and industry insight while advancing technologies that will define the next phase of space exploration.

Recent collaborations include �鶹ӳ����ý-developed testing technology launching on Blue Origin missions, joint research with NASA’s Fram2 mission to advance space medicine and partnerships with companies like Operator Solutions to improve emergency response training for astronauts.

Now one of just three universities in the Florida University Space Research Consortium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, �鶹ӳ����ý is helping drive research, technology development and education across the state. This landmark partnership — the only one of its kind in the nation — cements Florida’s role at the forefront of America’s space future.

Powering Florida’s Space Economy

Space is no longer just a frontier — it’s the future. With the global space economy projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, �鶹ӳ����ý is preparing the visionaries who will fuel discovery and shape that growth.

Now expanding its impact into space commercialization, �鶹ӳ����ý is helping lead the business of space under the direction of Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy. His work is building a pipeline of leaders ready to drive innovation, strengthen national security and unlock opportunities that will advance humanity’s future beyond Earth.

Reaching for What’s Next

�鶹ӳ����ý Space Week isn’t just about looking back at past achievements — it’s about imagining what comes next. With a legacy built on exploration and a community fueled by curiosity, �鶹ӳ����ý continues to inspire students and researchers to reach higher, think bolder and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Because at �鶹ӳ����ý, space isn’t the final frontier — it’s just the beginning.

A national leader in online education and the top supplier of talent to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries, the �鶹ӳ����ý established the new MBA program to support the space commercialization industry and a global space economy that is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.

“We have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and the very best location,” says Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy at �鶹ӳ����ý and President Trump’s nominee to become NASA’s chief financial officer. “I want students to come to �鶹ӳ����ý 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 launch the next stage of your career.”

The �鶹ӳ����ý space MBA brings together �鶹ӳ����ý’s excellence in space and online education and is designed to develop forward-thinking leaders who will shape the future of the commercial space sector. With a curriculum focused on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation, graduates will be ready to lead in fast-growing and high-impact roles across the commercial space, aerospace, government, startups and emerging tech industries.

The MBA will be a fully online, part-time graduate business program spanning 24 months in which students will take a set of core MBA courses plus four electives focused on space entrepreneurship, governmental and commercial space finance, space leadership and the global space domain. With a flexible, asynchronous format, this program allows students to learn from anywhere on Earth — or even in orbit.

With more than 25 years of experience providing top online degrees, �鶹ӳ����ý is a trusted source for innovative education technology and is recognized among the nation’s leaders in online education. Classes in more than 130 fully online degree programs are led by world-class faculty with extensive industry and academic experience who prepare students well to thrive and advance in their careers.

“The space industry isn’t the future. It’s happening now. Our new space MBA will put talent at the center of that movement,” says Paul Jarley, dean of the �鶹ӳ����ý College of Business, which will be offering the new program. “Under Dr. Autry’s leadership, the space MBA will develop business pioneers ready to drive innovation in space commercialization. This is an important step in the business school becoming a key asset in supporting �鶹ӳ����ý’s mission to be Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University.”

Autry leads the college’s efforts to deliver executive and MBA programs in space commercialization while helping America’s Space University craft and implement a roadmap for its space efforts. Before joining �鶹ӳ����ý in 2024, he was the director and clinical professor of space leadership, policy and business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA’s In Space Production Applications program, which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.

Applications are open now until Dec. 1, with classes beginning in Spring 2026. Visit to learn more and apply.

Greg Autry, who serves as �鶹ӳ����ý’s associate provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy, is nationally recognized for his leadership in space research and innovation, including how the space landscape is evolving with the rapid expansion of private flights.

Autry has been nominated by President Trump to become chief financial officer of NASA. Pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate, he will be responsible for ensuring the financial health of the agency and will oversee all financial management, budget, strategic planning, and performance activities relating to NASA’s programs and operations.

“Our space agency has a long history of excellence in financial management, and I am looking forward to joining the incredible team at NASA,” Autry said. “I have been honored to help move �鶹ӳ����ý’s incredible space enterprise forward, and I hope to return after my service at NASA.”

Autry, known as �鶹ӳ����ý’s “space czar,” is a leading researcher on entrepreneurship. Before joining �鶹ӳ����ý last year, he was director and clinical professor of Space Leadership, Policy and Business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

Autry is a visiting professor at Imperial College London. He also serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA’s In Space Production Applications program (InSPA) which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.

At �鶹ӳ����ý, Autry has been working to lead the College of Business’ efforts to establish Executive and MBA programs in Space Commercialization while helping the university enhance and expand awareness of its many space programs.

�鶹ӳ����ý was founded in 1963 to provide talent for the space industry and today continues to be a top provider of talented graduates and research to a space economy expected to grow to more than $1 trillion in the 2030s and triple that by mid-century.

�鶹ӳ����ý is the nation’s top supplier of graduates to the aerospace and defense industry, according to Aviation Week Network.

“Space is the most important thing to happen in at least half a millennia,” Autry said. “We are charting a new future for humanity, improving the lives of billions, saving our biosphere, making our nation more secure, and creating jobs right now.”

As space travel expands and becomes less exclusive to the wealthiest demographic, it will require more people to be educated and trained in space-specific medicine, business, psychology, science, engineering, even hospitality for cities with launch sites around the world.

“It won’t be long before careers are available for anyone like me who always wanted to be involved in space but couldn’t get into an astronaut program,” Autry says. “This is where the preparation will happen, at �鶹ӳ����ý, to enter an industry with unlimited potential.”

“I get odd glances,” Autry says, “but I’m usually going so fast that I have no idea what anyone is thinking.”

Autry’s skateboard is also an inescapable analogy. It’s made from upcycled scrap carbon fiber from space companies like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic. Autry brought his board with him to �鶹ӳ����ý’s College of Business from the west coast earlier in 2024 to start a space commercialization program and to begin a university-wide effort to bolster the SpaceU brand.

“We currently have a logo and a football game [that help] bring awareness to [�鶹ӳ����ý’s identity] of SpaceU,” Autry says. “[We want to make it more well known this is the place to be] because we already have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and this unique location. I want students to come to �鶹ӳ����ý 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.”

As Florida’s premier engineering and technology university, �鶹ӳ����ý was founded in 1963 to fuel the nearby space industry. Faculty and researchers across the university contribute to NASA missions such as OSIRIS-Rex and New Horizons, as well as the Artemis program. �鶹ӳ����ý is home to the Exolith Lab, where asteroid, Martian and lunar regolith simulants are created for space researchers worldwide, and the world’s largest lunar regolith test bin is located. �鶹ӳ����ý alums make up nearly 29% of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) employees, with their expertise ranking from engineering to physics and marketing. Future Knights at KSC may include experts in space medicine, as �鶹ӳ����ý is developing a new program dedicated to the field, as well as another industry Autry is helping shape curriculum for.

Autry’s enthusiasm is based on a vision for the future merging with present-day reality. Prior to �鶹ӳ����ý, he launched the world’s first space leadership, business and policy program at Arizona State University’s globally recognized Thunderbird School. As much as he enjoyed leading the progress and his life out west, Autry could not pass up the opportunity to launch a second business program around space at a university near the Space Coast, where a graduate program beginning in the Fall of 2025 and an undergraduate program to follow are already poised to lead the way into an all-new realm.

“I’m confident it won’t take us long to reach our lofty goals,” Autry says. “We’re taking the Elon Musk approach: grow it quickly and innovate relentlessly to stay ahead of everyone else. We can do that at �鶹ӳ����ý because we have a huge competitive advantage — geographically and with so much local demand in the space business. I’ve been passionate about space my entire life, so this is a remarkable time for me, personally and professionally.”

Like so many kids who watched the first Apollo moon landings, Autry dreamed about life in space. Those thoughts never vanished.

“The missions to the moon were life changing for me at a young age,” he says. “Watching and reading about space became my escape.”

On Sept. 8, 1974, Autry stood at the Snake River Canyon in Idaho to watch Evel Knievel attempt to clear the quarter-mile-wide chasm in a specially designed Skycycle. Despite the failed jump, Knievel became a hero to Autry for his willingness to take flight in the closest thing to a personal rocket he’d ever seen. At the University of California, Irvine and then University of Southern California, Autry studied the commercial space industry before any other management scholar had recognized its significance. He spent several years teaching a summer course in space entrepreneurship for Florida Tech. While teaching at Arizona State, he would bring students to visit Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center where they could see the growing Florida commercial space businesses up close. Autry also visited the area during his tenure as NASA’s White House Liaison and while serving on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Board at the FAA. The East Coast vantage point continually rekindled his passion for space launch.

“When I heard �鶹ӳ����ý was serious about doing something amazing in space commercialization and taking SpaceU to another level, it meant the university’s vision aligned with my own,” Autry says. “I wanted to be part of the action. This is a rare opportunity to participate in something transformational and to influence a new generation of space leaders.”

Now that he lives in Florida, Autry can take breaks from his work to watch rocket launches from his dock in Melbourne. He views these frequent events with the same awe he’s had since the first moon landings, only now he also carries a unique business perspective. Usually, he knows someone who has a payload or an investment on board.

“If you’re in Central Florida, space is business. Everyone should be excited about it. The space industry creates tens of thousands of jobs and a commercial economy worth billions of dollars. Missions are often about communications, but they also drive crop yields for agriculture, management of fisheries, the monitoring of oil reserves and real estate, manufacturing, robotics, efficient transportation of goods and products … we could go on and on.”

As space travel expands and becomes less exclusive to the wealthiest demographic, it will require more people to be educated and trained in space-specific medicine, business, psychology, science, engineering, even hospitality for cities with launch sites around the world.

“It won’t be long before careers are available for anyone like me who always wanted to be involved in space but couldn’t get into an astronaut program,” Autry says. “This is where the preparation will happen, at �鶹ӳ����ý, to enter an industry with unlimited potential.”

Autry is among those who believe space will produce the world’s first trillionaire. Several global financial services project the space economy alone will generate $3 trillion in revenues by 2050. Autry thinks those numbers are probably too conservative.

“The growth in space won’t follow a typical linear curve,” he says. “It’s reasonable that in the next 15 to 20 years the space economy will exceed the entire U.S. economy. Keep in mind, our first space race was driven by the government during the Cold War. This second space race is inspired by private enterprise. This is entirely different from anything we’ve seen. And �鶹ӳ����ý — SpaceU — is literally right in the middle of it. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic to be here on the front end, and I’m encouraging everyone to join us for the ride.”