When NASA launches its latest voyage to the International Space Station on May 12, it will carry a blood clotting experiment from the UCF College of Medicine 麻豆精品 S檚 newest faculty member. The research will include illuminated bone marrow cells floating in space to find better ways to keep astronauts and Earthlings healthier.

Hansjorg Schwertz specializes in occupational health and focuses his research on how microgravity and radiation in space impact the body 麻豆精品 S檚 blood-clotting functions. After an extensive career overseas and at the University of Utah, he comes to UCF to serve as the associate director for Translational Aerospace Medicine Research at the UCF Center for Aerospace and Extreme Environments Medicine (CASEEM).

As humans prepare for longer missions to the moon, Mars and beyond, the center is exploring how factors such as microgravity, radiation and isolation impact the human body in space and how that knowledge can drive innovation into diagnostics, treatment and disease prevention for patients on Earth.

麻豆精品 S淲hen it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than UCF, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

NASA Concerned About Blood Clots in Space

Pre- and post-mission medical testing of astronauts on the International Space Station has shown that spaceflight changes their immune system and blood clotting ability. A few astronauts have even developed blood clots during a flight or after returning. For that reason, Schwertz is leading the NASA-funded Megakaryocytes Orbiting in Outer Space and Near Earth (MOON) study, which he began working on at the University of Utah and continues to collaborate with the university’s researchers on.

麻豆精品 S淲hen it comes to putting footprints on the moon, there is no better place to be than UCF. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Hansjorg Schwertz

Megakaryocytes are bone marrow cells that create platelets, which circulate in the blood stream and can stop bleeding or form blood clots. Both cells also play a key role in immune responses.

The MOON study is examining how space flight affects the development and function of megakaryocytes as they create platelets. The results could provide important knowledge about the risks of inflammation, immune responses and blood clot formation that will help space travelers and patients on Earth, Schwertz says.

His team is sending human cells to the ISS on board the SpaceX 34 resupply mission. Once they are aboard the space station, astronauts will culture the cells and help to develop megakaryocytes in space.

One part of the experiment is to watch the cells in real time, and how they develop their 麻豆精品 S渄aughter cell, 麻豆精品 S� the platelets. Because the research will be in microgravity, the cells will float. They 麻豆精品 S檒l be stained with fluorescent dye so UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 researcher can examine them remotely at better accuracy.

Schwertz says mentors taught him, 麻豆精品 S渟eeing is believing, 麻豆精品 S� so he is 麻豆精品 S済enuinely excited 麻豆精品 S� to see megakaryocytes float in space.

Advancing Personalized Medicine

One of the challenges of space medicine research is that so few people have gone to space, so the sample pool is small. As space travel and colonization progress, more people will be traveling to and working on the moon and beyond.

Healthwise, many will be different than astronauts who are selected after going through vigorous testing and selection criteria. Thus, space is a new frontier of healthcare.

Schwertz hopes his study will unlock technologies and therapies to keep astronauts 麻豆精品 S� blood clotting mechanisms controlled, prevent abnormal clotting and bring those discoveries back to Earth.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e examining the impact of space flight on each person 麻豆精品 S檚 cells, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭his is personalized medicine, and isn 麻豆精品 S檛 that what healthcare is all about? 麻豆精品 S�

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for Aerospace Medicine at the UCF College of Medicine and founding director of CASEEM, Schwertz’s work reflects the program’s broader mission to connect spaceflight research with practical clinical and operational solutions.

麻豆精品 S淥ur aerospace medicine program is intentionally designed to be operational and translational in nature, 麻豆精品 S� Urquieta says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are building a program that can support the real medical needs of exploration missions while rapidly translating discoveries from spaceflight and extreme environments into innovations that improve health here on Earth. 麻豆精品 S�

Schwertz received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the School of Medicine at the University of Mainz, Germany. After a residency in Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Halle, Germany, he did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Utah, where he also served as faculty.

In 2012, he 聽was awarded a prestigious Lichtenberg-Professorship for Experimental Hemostasis and returned to Germany where he directed a research laboratory. He returned to Utah in 2015, where he completed his residency training in Occupational Medicine and was a faculty member, researcher and community physician.

The material is based upon work supported by NASA under award No. 80NSSC22K0255. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Nov. 13, 2025, 3:55 p.m.聽Jillian Gloria 麻豆精品 S�22聽stands on a balcony at Blue Origin headquarters in Cape Canaveral, Florida, her eyes fixed on the horizon at Launch Complex 36 麻豆精品 S� the very launchpad her grandfather helped construct as a NASA engineer in the 1960s.

Engines ignite. Gloria 麻豆精品 S檚 breath catches as she wills the rocket to climb. Then she hears those crucial words: 麻豆精品 S淟iftoff detected. New Glenn has cleared the tower. 麻豆精品 S�

The Blue Origin rocket scientist has just witnessed the launch of her first NASA mission. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a goal the Orlando native has dreamed about since childhood; one marked by visions of the space shuttle soaring upward as she commuted to school and the roar of sonic booms when it returned to Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 atmosphere.

What makes this milestone even more rewarding is the determination, the hard work and the relentless tenacity it took her to get here.

麻豆精品 S淵our dreams are possible, 麻豆精品 S� Gloria says. 麻豆精品 S淎ll you need is passion and persistence. As long as you keep going, you can do anything in this world. You 麻豆精品 S檙e always going to end up where you 麻豆精品 S檙e meant to be. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淵ou 麻豆精品 S檒l Never Graduate 麻豆精品 S�

Gloria 麻豆精品 S檚 college journey began outside of Florida despite the numerous space-related research and partnerships available in her backyard at UCF. Like many of her peers, she thought she had to branch out from her hometown to gain the most out of her college experience.

She realized quickly she had made a mistake.

Not long after arriving at the University in Texas at Arlington, an academic advisor told her she would never graduate with an engineering degree if she started her academic career in algebra. She would need an additional 1.5 years of math and science classes alone before she could set foot in an engineering class.

Rather than catch up on the mathematics education and credits she needed to pursue engineering, he advised she 麻豆精品 S檇 be better off going after 麻豆精品 S渟omething more realistic for her current path like a business degree. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淎s an impressionable 18-19 year old, you listen to your adviser, right? 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 just remember dropping the business class a few weeks in because I thought, 麻豆精品 S楾his is not what I want to do, and I don 麻豆精品 S檛 care how long it takes me, I 麻豆精品 S檓 going to do get an engineering degree. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S�

Opportunity Comes Calling

She course-corrected and enrolled in the program at Valencia College. Valencia provided her the academic resources and tutoring she needed to overcome her initial struggles in math and science.

In 2018 ahead of transferring to UCF, she applied to the Central Florida Physics Research Exchange Program, a former initiative for undergraduate students to participate in a 10-week funded research project over the summer with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 physics department.

She remembers doubting her chances of acceptance. After all, she was an aspiring aerospace engineer, not a true physics major. But the program came with the promise of $5,000, and for someone who was working her way through school, what did she have to lose?

As part of her application, she wrote a compelling letter to Professor of Physics William Kaden about his space weathering effects research for NASA and how much she 麻豆精品 S檇 love the chance to work in his lab.

The letter worked. Kaden would go on to become Gloria 麻豆精品 S檚 mentor throughout her 2.5 years at UCF and kickstarted her hand in research that yielded projects on finding water on the moon, collaborations with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), work with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 and a co-authorship on a NASA-funded paper published in 2021 in the聽Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology.

麻豆精品 S淭he world of research at UCF really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Jillian Gloria 麻豆精品 S�22, Blue Origin engineer

麻豆精品 S淭he world of research at UCF really provided me the actual work experience and opportunities to turn me into an engineer and a candidate that these companies sought after, 麻豆精品 S� says Gloria, who keeps her senior-year textbook Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Second Edition on her office desk. 麻豆精品 S淚 worked with industry hardware, a vacuum chamber that 麻豆精品 S檚 worth hundreds of thousands of dollars at NASA, flew a payload on a Masten Space Systems Xodiac rocket to track rocket plumes during launch and landing on the moon. I was a published author before I graduated. It all was such an amazing opportunity. That was the first time when I felt like I was actually doing the work I had dreamed about. The things I was exposed to at UCF really 聽just opened my eyes onto what 麻豆精品 S檚 available out there in terms of my career. 麻豆精品 S�

Building a Road to Space

Since graduating in 2022, Gloria launched over a dozen successful missions across three launch-vehicle programs (Atlas V, Delta Heavy, Vulcan Centaur) at United Launch Alliance as a propulsion systems test engineer.

In January 2025, she joined the Blue Origin team as an integrated vehicle test engineer, specializing in the integration, testing, refurbishment, and optimization of complex fluid and pneumatic systems for her fourth launch vehicle, New Glenn.

In other words, she validates the build of the rocket, ensuring its integrity and functionality through every build stage before launch.

She is energized every day by the opportunities available to her to grow and learn within the company, who in addition to their rocket program is also developing a lunar lander and space station.

麻豆精品 S淭his work matters. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the future. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Jillian Gloria

麻豆精品 S�We 麻豆精品 S檙e all working together for the benefit of Earth, and you feel it every day you go to work at Blue Origin, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭his work matters. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the future, it 麻豆精品 S檚 the next generation launch vehicle, and it just plays a hand in Blue 麻豆精品 S檚 mission statement that we want to build a road to space. 麻豆精品 S�

Every milestone they hit 麻豆精品 S� like the recent successful launch and first-time landing of the New Glenn rocket that ferried NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 twin ESCAPADE spacecraft to begin their journey to Mars 麻豆精品 S� helps get them closer to that goal.

While current generations may not see it, she knows the work she is doing at Blue Origin is developing the infrastructure for future generations who will one day consistently travel to and live on other celestial bodies.

麻豆精品 S淭he stars are the final frontier. It calls to us, 麻豆精品 S� Gloria says. 麻豆精品 S淵ou can 麻豆精品 S檛 really explain it, but when you look up at the sky, it kind of touches your soul. It just makes me feel more connected to something that 麻豆精品 S檚 so far away and so beautiful. It 麻豆精品 S檚 everything. 麻豆精品 S�

When Alain Berinstain talks about space, he doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 just talk about rockets or research missions 麻豆精品 S� he talks about people, partnerships and the power of doing things that haven 麻豆精品 S檛 been done before.

That daring mindset is exactly what he 麻豆精品 S檚 bringing to his new role as director of the (FSI) at UCF, which supports space research, development and education activities, along with the development of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 space economy 麻豆精品 S� civil, defense and commercial.

A business and research strategist, Berinstain brings more than 30 years of experience in the space industry, driving strategic growth and domestic and international partnerships. He officially stepped into the role in December of last year, ready to elevate FSI into a nationally recognized institute while strengthening UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 research profile, supporting Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 rapidly growing space economy and driving even greater global impact.

麻豆精品 S淏eing bold is having ideas and doing things that nobody has ever done before, 麻豆精品 S� Berinstain says. 麻豆精品 S淚f you do that in a collaborative way, then 麻豆精品 S� pardon the pun 麻豆精品 S� the sky 麻豆精品 S檚 the limit. 麻豆精品 S�

A Career Built on Making Connections

Berinstain 麻豆精品 S檚 path to UCF wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 a straight line 麻豆精品 S� and that 麻豆精品 S檚 by design. Trained as a chemist, he earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in honors chemistry from Concordia University, a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in space studies from the International Space University and a doctoral degree in chemistry from the University of Ottawa. Early in his career, he saw space as a powerful platform for science, but also one that demanded collaboration across disciplines, sectors and borders.

From 1997 to 2013, Berinstain held leadership roles at the Canadian Space Agency, including director of planetary exploration and space astronomy. There, he managed annual budgets exceeding $25 million and helped negotiate Canada 麻豆精品 S檚 participation in major NASA missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope, OSIRIS-REx and the Mars Phoenix Lander. He also co-authored the original Global Exploration Roadmap, aligning international partners around shared exploration goals.

“I aim to show people how FSI can help meet their goals … and, in the end, raise the research profile in space at UCF, in Florida and in the world.”

Berinstain later moved between public service and the private sector, advising companies such as Virgin Galactic and Sierra Nevada Corporation, leading global development at Moon Express Inc. and most recently serving as chief strategy officer at science-based solutions company CSS Inc. Along the way, he helped generate more than $10 million in revenue for in-space manufacturing of health and technology products and cultivated strategic partnerships with academia, government and industry stakeholders.

That cross-sector experience now shapes his vision for FSI 麻豆精品 S� especially when it comes to funding. A key priority, he says, is diversifying funding beyond traditional government grants by expanding private and commercial partnerships.

麻豆精品 S淪ince I’ve spent time in other sectors and made contacts, I look forward to mining those to help collaborate and redevelop those relationships, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 aim to show people how FSI can help meet their goals and come up with new opportunities that we can respond to, and, in the end, raise the research profile in space at UCF, in Florida and in the world. 麻豆精品 S�

Why UCF 麻豆精品 S� and Why Now

Berinstain 麻豆精品 S檚 appointment will fuel the momentum of space exploration and research at SpaceU 麻豆精品 S� the top provider of graduates in the nation to the aerospace and defense industry 麻豆精品 S� and the new Florida Space Research Consortium.

麻豆精品 S淎lain is a daring innovator internationally recognized for his leadership throughout space 麻豆精品 S檚 public and private sectors, 麻豆精品 S� says Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation. 麻豆精品 S淗is experience, bold vision and strategic pursuit of partnerships will elevate the impact of our research at America 麻豆精品 S檚 Space University and further strengthen Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 rapidly growing space economy. 麻豆精品 S�

FSI 麻豆精品 S檚 unique position within a deeply collaborative campus and a statewide network of space researchers is what Berinstain says drew him to UCF.

麻豆精品 S淲e lead our own world-class science, but we also partner with researchers across colleges and departments … There’s real strength in numbers.”

麻豆精品 S淲here FSI fits within the UCF ecosystem is really interesting. We lead our own world-class science, but we also partner with researchers across colleges and departments, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲hat also attracted me is the collaboration among state universities in Florida. With the new consortium for university space research, in which we’re in a leadership position, there 麻豆精品 S檚 real strength in numbers. 麻豆精品 S�

From the Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 upper atmosphere to the origins of the planets and the dynamics of asteroids, FSI 麻豆精品 S檚 research tackles some of the biggest questions in space science. Building on those strengths, Berinstain is setting his sights on what comes next: expanding into areas shaping the future of commercial space, including microgravity research, pharmaceuticals and defense.

麻豆精品 S淚 plan to grow FSI in areas that are of national and economic importance. They all need help from strong research groups, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚t’s not so much about what we want to do 麻豆精品 S� it’s about what they need us for. And that creates all kinds of cool opportunities for us for amazing research and mutually beneficial collaboration. 麻豆精品 S�

Building on Momentum

Just weeks into the role, Berinstain says he 麻豆精品 S檚 already felt the energy that surrounds space at UCF.

麻豆精品 S淚 participated in Space Week at UCF 麻豆精品 S� and I came away [from that experience realizing] how pervasive and important space is to the culture of the institute, 麻豆精品 S� he says. “So it feels like I 麻豆精品 S檝e got to catch up to that momentum. It 麻豆精品 S檚 an honor. It’s a challenge. It’s wonderful to leverage that for FSI. 麻豆精品 S�

Ask Berinstain about his leadership style, and don 麻豆精品 S檛 be surprised if he starts with a pop culture reference.

麻豆精品 S淒o you watch聽The Big Bang Theory? 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淪heldon Cooper has that line: 麻豆精品 S業 麻豆精品 S檓 not crazy. My mom got me tested. 麻豆精品 S� Well, I 麻豆精品 S檝e been tested for my leadership style. 麻豆精品 S�

According to that assessment, Berinstain falls into what 麻豆精品 S檚 known as a 麻豆精品 S減arental 麻豆精品 S� leadership style 麻豆精品 S� a label he 麻豆精品 S檚 quick to unpack.

麻豆精品 S淚t sounds funny, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut what it really means is guided leadership. I 麻豆精品 S檓 very team-oriented. I 麻豆精品 S檓 resilient. I deal with situations head-on. 麻豆精品 S�

At the core of that approach is trust 麻豆精品 S� trusting people to do their best work when they feel supported and empowered.

麻豆精品 S淭here are people here who’ve been doing amazing work for a long time. I want to build on that, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

A Bigger Picture of Impact

For Berinstain, success at FSI isn 麻豆精品 S檛 just about dollars raised 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 about alignment and purpose.

麻豆精品 S淚 prefer to think of research funding as impact, 麻豆精品 S� he says, 麻豆精品 S渁s contributions to UCF, to Florida and to our country. Let’s meet our own priorities and help others meet theirs. That 麻豆精品 S檒l help in our growth. 麻豆精品 S�

With a strong space legacy, a collaborative spirit and a rapidly expanding frontier ahead, Berinstain sees FSI entering a new era of possibility as a leader in space research.

Simply put, 麻豆精品 S渋t 麻豆精品 S檚 a dream job, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Their discovery in the Cygnus X region sheds new light on and deepens a long-standing mystery about the ionization state of the interstellar medium 麻豆精品 S� the sparse material that fills the space between stars within a galaxy. This is crucial to understanding galactic evolution.

Using the 100-meter Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, the team detected radio spectral lines from helium in diffuse ionized gas in the Cygnus X region, a massive star-forming complex located about 25,000 light-years from the galactic center.

麻豆精品 S淲e are still investigating. This can provide a better understanding of how energy flows from stars to the interstellar medium in the inner region of the galaxy works, 麻豆精品 S� says Roshi, who has served in a few of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 most advanced observatories over his 20-year career.

A Decades-Old Galactic Puzzle

According to the Big Bang theory, hydrogen and most of the helium in the universe were created in the moments after the initial cosmic event.

Ionization is the process where energetic radiation (like UV light or cosmic rays) or extreme heat strips electrons from neutral atoms or molecules, turning them into charged particles. This ultimately is what makes nebulae visible and is fundamental to understanding stellar life cycles and galactic structure.

For more than 30 years, astronomers have struggled to explain why specific wavelengths of light known as helium spectral lines are faint or missing in the diffuse ionized gas in the inner Milky Way, even though massive stars there produce more than enough high-energy radiation to ionize both hydrogen and helium.

麻豆精品 S淭his has been a persistent mystery, 麻豆精品 S� says Pooja Priyatharsheni, second author of the study and a doctoral student at India 麻豆精品 S檚 Lady Doak College, whom Roshi connected with two years ago while promoting astronomy to collegiate students in India. 麻豆精品 S淲e know the galaxy contains plenty of massive stars capable of ionizing helium, yet in many inner regions, we simply don 麻豆精品 S檛 see the helium signal we expect. 麻豆精品 S�

Cygnus X Provides a Clue 麻豆精品 S� and a Challenge

The new detection in Cygnus X demonstrates that helium within the diffuse gas associated with this region is fully ionized.

麻豆精品 S淭his result confirms that when the radiation field is strong enough, helium becomes fully ionized and visible in radio observations, 麻豆精品 S� Priyatharsheni explains. 麻豆精品 S淏ut it also raises new questions about why the same doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 occur in the inner galaxy. 麻豆精品 S�

What 麻豆精品 S檚 Next

Led by Roshi of the , researchers from the Green Bank Observatory, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, West Virginia University and Lady Doak College are now analyzing new high-sensitivity data from the Green Bank Telescope targeting the inner galaxy.

Their goal: to determine whether unusual 聽radiation sources, interstellar dust absorption, or unknown processes might explain the missing helium emission in the inner galaxy.

Their findings will better inform other astrophysicists and aerospace scientists about the energy flow through the interstellar medium and physical conditions of the galaxy, allowing them to refine their research and observational strategies.

They hope to retrieve most of the data for 聽their next findings by the end of 2026.

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 expertise will help drive the success of DUSTER, a payload designed specifically to capture and measure dust behavior during spacecraft and human operations on the moon. Lunar Outpost 麻豆精品 S檚 Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover will support NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 DUSTER (Dust and plaSma environmenT survEyoR) investigation, selected for development through the Artemis IV Deployed Instruments program. The instruments will be built at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at CU Boulder.

DUSTER represents the best opportunity to date to evaluate the theory on the physics of dust erosion, with implications for the activities being planned on the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 surface. The Artemis IV mission is due to launch in 2028.

Testing Rocket Exhaust and Dust Erosion

This theory introduces a fundamentally new understanding of the behavior of gas in the boundary layer, the thin region where rocket exhaust meets the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 surface. This new physics shows how the gas flow in that layer lifts dust grains 麻豆精品 S攕omething no previous model could adequately explain. Before this breakthrough, NASA lacked a method to reliably predict how much lunar dust erosion a landing or departing spacecraft would generate, and therefore could not fully estimate how much sandblasting damage would occur to hardware on the moon.

However, several key parameters in this new model cannot be measured accurately using existing lunar data or Earth-based experiments. On Earth, large-scale testing is limited: rocket exhaust cannot be blasted into a vacuum chamber without destroying the vacuum, and gravity cannot be reduced to lunar levels for the necessary full-scale trials.

DUSTER will change that. By collecting data during actual Starship Human Landing System operations on the moon, DUSTER will allow scientists to measure these long-elusive parameters directly in the lunar environment 麻豆精品 S� providing the highest-fidelity test yet of Metzger 麻豆精品 S檚 theory.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of DUSTER 麻豆精品 S檚 capabilities is measuring the dust blown by rocket exhaust as the Starship Human Landing System lifts off and departs from the moon, 麻豆精品 S� Metzger says.

In this project, University of Colorado Boulder Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics senior researcher Xu Wang, who serves as principal investigator, will analyze upstream plasma conditions. UCF will interpret measurements of dust ejected during the Human Landing System liftoff.

麻豆精品 S淯CF brings to this project its expertise in the science of how rocket exhaust blows soil and dust. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Phil Metzger 麻豆精品 S�00MS 麻豆精品 S�05PhD, UCF planetary scientist

麻豆精品 S淯CF brings to this project its expertise in the science of how rocket exhaust blows soil and dust, 麻豆精品 S� says Metzger.

The findings generated by DUSTER will directly inform NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 long-term plans for sustained lunar operations, providing critical insights to protect habitats, instruments, and other assets as human presence on the moon grows. As NASA plans to deliver major infrastructure to the lunar surface, Artemis IV presents a new opportunity to address this outstanding engineering challenge of lunar exploration.

In a new study published in The Planetary Science Journal, researchers from UCF, NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) and other institutions explored a unique, spider-like feature in Manann谩n Crater on Europa, one of Jupiter 麻豆精品 S檚 icy moons.

First observed by NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Galileo spacecraft, the feature may have formed from briny water eruptions beneath the ice, offering clues about subsurface liquid water and potential habitability on Europa.

“Europa is a fascinating moon to study because its subsurface ocean may have the conditions to support life.” 麻豆精品 S� Lauren Mc Keown, assistant professor at UCF

麻豆精品 S淏y understanding surface expressions, we can learn more about processes and conditions where liquid water may exist below the surface, 麻豆精品 S� says Lauren Mc Keown, assistant professor at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 .

Using Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 lake stars as analogs, combined with field observations, lab experiments and modeling, the researchers hope to gain valuable insights into how these icy features form, which could have implications for future missions that might land on Europa and other icy airless worlds.

Originally from Ireland, Mc Keown 麻豆精品 S檚 interest in space began as a teenager when she first learned about the Cassini spacecraft, which explored Enceladus, a small icy moon of Saturn.

麻豆精品 S淚 was fascinated by the animations showing a water plume shooting miles above the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 surface and the possibility that liquid water, or even an ocean, might exist there, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚t encouraged me to explore NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 website to learn more about icy planetary surfaces and eventually pursue a career in planetary science at Trinity College Dublin. 麻豆精品 S�

As an icy planetary geomorphologist, Mc Keown studies surface features and processes on icy planets, moons and small bodies.

麻豆精品 S淢y research includes analyzing Martian 麻豆精品 S榮piders, 麻豆精品 S� which are dendritic 麻豆精品 S� branching, tree-like 麻豆精品 S� features that form in the regolith near Mars 麻豆精品 S� south pole, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淣ow, I 麻豆精品 S檓 applying that knowledge to other planetary surfaces, including Europa. 麻豆精品 S�

While Martian spiders form when dust and sand are eroded by escaping gas below a seasonal dry ice layer, Mc Keown believes Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 麻豆精品 S渁sterisk-shaped 麻豆精品 S� feature may have formed after impact, when liquid brine within the icy shell extruded through broken-up ice from impact to form a pattern similar to Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 lake stars.

麻豆精品 S淟ake stars are radial, branching patterns that form when snow falls on frozen lakes, and the weight of the snow creates holes in the ice, allowing water to flow through the snow, melting it and spreading in a way that is energetically favorable, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Dendritic patterns like these are common in nature, appearing in Lichtenberg figures created by lightning strikes, in beach rilles where tides flow through sand, and in many other systems where fluid flows through porous surfaces.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 fascinated by these beautiful features on Earth, and there is very little research on how lake stars are formed 麻豆精品 S�, Mc Keown says. 麻豆精品 S淭his inspired my team to explore whether similar processes could explain the pattern on Europa, albeit under different pressure and temperature conditions. 麻豆精品 S�

In the study, researchers proposed a new explanation for the feature, informally naming it Damh谩n Alla, Irish for 麻豆精品 S渟pider, 麻豆精品 S� to distinguish it from Martian spider formations. They suggest it may have formed in a way similar to lake stars on frozen Earth lakes, under locally temporary elevated temperatures and pressures caused by an impact that created Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 Manann谩n crater.

麻豆精品 S淟ake stars on Earth are star-shaped or branched melt patterns that form when warmer water rises through thin ice and spreads through overlying slush or snow before freezing, 麻豆精品 S� Mc Keown says. 麻豆精品 S淥n Europa, we believe a subsurface brine reservoir could have erupted and spread through porous surface ice, producing a similar pattern. 麻豆精品 S�

To test this hypothesis, Mc Keown and colleagues conducted field and lab experiments, observing lake stars in Breckenridge, Colorado, and recreating the process in a cryogenic glovebox at JPL, using Europa ice simulants cooled with liquid nitrogen.

麻豆精品 S淲e flowed water through these simulants under different temperatures and found that similar star-like patterns formed even under extremely cold temperatures (-100掳C), supporting the idea that the same mechanism could occur on Europa after impact, 麻豆精品 S� Mc Keown says.

Elodie Lesage, a research scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and co-author of the study, modeled how a brine pool might behave beneath Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 surface after this impact, and the team created an animation illustrating the process.

Observations of Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 icy features have been limited to images from the Galileo spacecraft.

Mc Keown 麻豆精品 S檚 team hopes to resolve this question with higher-resolution imagery from the Europa Clipper mission, a NASA spacecraft scheduled to arrive at the Jupiter system in April 2030.

麻豆精品 S淭he significance of our research is really exciting, 麻豆精品 S� Mc Keown says. 麻豆精品 S淪urface features like these can tell us a lot about what 麻豆精品 S檚 happening beneath the ice. If we see more of them with Europa Clipper, they could point to local brine pools below the surface. 麻豆精品 S�

The findings provide insights for possible patterns on Europa; however, researchers caution against relying solely on Earth analogs to understand other planetary surfaces.

麻豆精品 S淲hile lake stars have provided valuable insight, Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 conditions are very different from Europa 麻豆精品 S檚, 麻豆精品 S� Mc Keown says. 麻豆精品 S淓arth has a nitrogen-rich atmosphere, while Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 environment is extremely low in pressure and temperature. In this study, we combined field observations with lab experiments to better simulate Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 surface conditions. 麻豆精品 S�

Mc Keown is also proud of the collaborative nature of the work.

麻豆精品 S淭his study came together organically and reflects a value that 麻豆精品 S檚 important to me: community, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e had the opportunity to work with an incredible group of scientists 麻豆精品 S� including JPL Planetary Geologist Jennifer Scully, with whom I collaborated to name the feature 麻豆精品 S� whose multidisciplinary expertise was essential to this research. There are not many Irish planetary scientists, so working together has been rewarding, particularly because many of Europa 麻豆精品 S檚 features have Irish and Celtic names. 麻豆精品 S�

Looking ahead, Mc Keown plans to investigate how low pressure affects the formation of these features and whether they could form beneath an icy crust, similar to how lava flows on Earth to create smooth, ropy textures called pahoehoe.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 setting up a new lab at UCF, called the FROSTIE (Facility for Research Observing Simulated Topography of Icy Environments) Lab, where I 麻豆精品 S檓 designing a chamber specifically for these experiments. I am currently involving students to create icy simulants for this work while continuing to collaborate with JPL, 麻豆精品 S� she says.

Although geomorphology was the main focus of this study, the findings offer important clues about subsurface activity and habitability, which are crucial for future astrobiology research.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e spoken with astrobiologists interested in these patterns, including how microbes might inhabit lakes on Earth, 麻豆精品 S� Mc Keown says. 麻豆精品 S淭here 麻豆精品 S檚 great potential for collaboration across disciplines with this research, and I look forward to connecting with colleagues and students at UCF who are as passionate and excited about this work as I am. 麻豆精品 S�

Lunar dust particles are sharp and abrasive due to the lack of atmosphere gradually dulling their surfaces, leading them to potentially damaging critical lunar equipment or causing respiratory issues for astronauts. Managing lunar dust (also known as regolith) and safeguarding astronauts or sensitive equipment on the moon isn 麻豆精品 S檛 as simple as sweeping it up with a broom and pan.

That 麻豆精品 S檚 why a team of NASA-funded UCF researchers is pioneering a new nanocoating to passively mitigate the effects of lunar dust, protect equipment and ultimately extend future lunar missions.

麻豆精品 S淭he dust particles on the moon are very sharp, very sticky and very toxic, 麻豆精品 S� says Lei Zhai, director of the NanoScience Technology Center and project lead. 麻豆精品 S淩ight now, the efforts we have seen are based on studies here on Earth, and so we want to have a more complete picture of the interactions and guide the design on how to mitigate dust using a simulated lunar environment. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 research team aims to conduct testing as true to a lunar environment as possible through modeling and the use of a simulated regolith in a vacuum chamber to mimic lunar conditions and exclude the effects of Earth 麻豆精品 S檚 atmosphere. The goal is to understand how lunar dust interacts with surfaces and which surface properties, such as surface structures, polarity and electrical conductivity, are key to repelling the dust, even in complex lunar charged particle and light radiation environments.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a really new, novel way to approach this. Lunar dust is one of the most significant problems that we have for going to the moon, especially for long duration stays.” 麻豆精品 S� Adrienne Dove, professor of physics

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檒l put our engineered coatings or surfaces into the vacuum chamber with lunar simulants and study how the dust interacts with the surfaces in the simulated lunar surface environment, 麻豆精品 S� Zhai says. 麻豆精品 S淭here is also strong irradiation on the moon, so we will also introduce irradiation sources in the setup. We also will use a specific instrument called an atomic force microscope to study these specific interactions at the dust particle level. 麻豆精品 S�

Repeated experimentation will allow Zhai and his team to adjust surface structure, hardness, conductivity and other properties to further fine tune the surface coatings.

麻豆精品 S淲ith that data, we can design specific surface structures for effective dust mitigation, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淢y role is to provide the surface. Then I 麻豆精品 S檒l give this surface to Dr. [Laurene] Tetard who will carry out the atomic force microscope studies and also Dr. [Adrienne] Dove who has a vacuum chamber and irradiation sources. 麻豆精品 S�

Dove, who is a professor of physics and the department chair, says she 麻豆精品 S檚 excited to work on this project.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a really new, novel way to approach this, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淟unar dust is one of the most significant problems that we have for going to the moon, especially for long duration stays. So, it 麻豆精品 S檚 really exciting to be working on this, and to be doing this as an applied way to look at lunar dust problems. 麻豆精品 S�

Dove has been studying lunar dust physics for many years, and this project extends her existing knowledge and outcomes to how they may directly affect exploration. For this project, she studies how the dust particles interact with the new coatings during the experiments in the vacuum chamber to better inform the prototype coatings Zhai will develop.

麻豆精品 S淎 lot of the work I do is to implement different ways to measure the sticking forces of dust grains and other materials, 麻豆精品 S� Dove says. 麻豆精品 S淪o, one way to do that is to put a lot of dust on a surface and then to spin the surface really fast with a centrifuge and see at what speed the grains come off 麻豆精品 S� we use that to measure the force. 麻豆精品 S�

The research team hopes that their new understandings of lunar dust can inform more efficient ways to reduce the dust 麻豆精品 S檚 harmful interactions with surfaces by minimizing efforts to physically remove the dust and instead use passive methods such as relying on solar wind or radiation.

麻豆精品 S淲hen astronauts are hopping around the surface or rovers are driving around, they 麻豆精品 S檙e going to stir up dust, and that dust naturally gets all over the place, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淲e think of it like when we get sand on us at the beach, you can mostly just wipe it off. Sometimes you get a little scratched, though. That same thing can happen with lunar dust, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 much worse than beach sand 麻豆精品 S� much harder to get clean and its scratchier. 麻豆精品 S�

The researchers are opting to explore passive methods to mitigate the dust to avoid potentially scratching technologies such as sensors or cameras by wiping away dust. Passive dust mitigation may rely on solar wind, radiation or other passive forces distinct from an active approach such as applying an electric field to remove the dust.

麻豆精品 S淭his project is really focusing on passive ways to change the surface so that dust just doesn’t stick as well in the first place, 麻豆精品 S� Dove says. 麻豆精品 S淪o, if we do things like shake it off or blow some air on it the dust comes off more easily. 麻豆精品 S�

The idea for the project progressed as the team continually discussed dust and surface interactions over the years.

Laurene Tetard, a professor of physics, specializes in atomic force microscopy. Atomic force microscopes (AFM) are powerful enough to examine challenges at the nanoscale, and they are critical to further understanding the dust experiments in the vacuum chamber and the effectiveness of the surfaces engineered by Zhai.

麻豆精品 S淲e are hoping to develop a new platform that links nanoscience and space research in a new way. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S擫aurene Tetard, professor of physics

麻豆精品 S淲e are hoping to develop a new platform that links nanoscience and space research in a new way, 麻豆精品 S� Tetard says. 麻豆精品 S淲e will design a platform that can perform these measurements under conditions that mimic space conditions. The information obtained from these measurements will provide important feedback to optimize the engineered surface. 麻豆精品 S�

She says expanding the frontiers of AFM to space research is particularly unique, and that the future opportunities to build on this research are equally gratifying.

麻豆精品 S淚t will be great to train students in this new direction for future applications of interest of NASA and other space-related industries, 麻豆精品 S� Tetard says. 麻豆精品 S淎nd it 麻豆精品 S檚 especially exciting to do that with experts in these fields who know a lot about the complementary aspects of this work. 麻豆精品 S�

Tarek Elgohary, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, is collaborating with other team members to create simulations that will help them understand how the particles interact with each other and with different surfaces.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e got particle-to-particle and particle to surface interactions, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e want to simulate those on the computers and then match what we know from the experiments, such as the physical properties, with what we get from the simulation. So essentially, we 麻豆精品 S檙e trying to close the loop between simulations and experiments to better understand the physical phenomenon. 麻豆精品 S�

Understanding how electrical charges may move amongst dust particles and how the dust maintains charges or discharges through simulated environments is an important aspect of the research component that Elgohary is studying.

麻豆精品 S淭hat will essentially help us with the design process of the passive mitigation techniques that Lei, Addie and Laurene are looking into, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

The interdisciplinary nature of the project and the longstanding desire to tackle the elusive challenge of lunar dust are some of what Elgohary says are most rewarding aspects of the research process.

麻豆精品 S淚 started talking to Addie many years ago, and we have had several efforts to try to understand how the dust moves and interacts, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 a fascinating problem, and it requires understanding the physics and connecting that to an engineering application to allow us to have a greater presence on the lunar surface. The fact that there are four of us covering each piece of this problem is one of the of the most exciting things about this project. 麻豆精品 S�

Researchers 麻豆精品 S� Credentials:

Dove received her doctorate in astrophysical and planetary sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in physics and astronomy from the University of Missouri. She joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Physics in 2012. In 2017, Dove was awarded the Susan Niebur Early Career Award by the NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Research Institute for her contributions to the science and exploration communities. She is the deputy-principal investigator of the Lunar-VISE mission to the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 Gruithuisen Domes to examine lunar rocks and regolith, slated to launch in 2027.

Elgohary joined UCF in 2016 as an assistant professor. He manages the Astrodynamics, Space and Robotics Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in mechanical engineering from the American University in Cairo and a master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree and doctoral degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University. Elgohary 麻豆精品 S檚 research interests are developing analytical & computational techniques for multi-body dynamics problems, astrodynamics, space domain awareness and space flight guidance, navigation, and control problems. His research has been funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Space Force.

Tetard received her doctorate in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Physics in 2013. She is a U.S. National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program awardee and Moore Experimental Physics Investigator awardee. Her team’s research focuses on developments of Scanning Probe Microscopy to study complex systems with applications in life sciences, materials, energy, catalysis and more.

Zhai is a UCF professor who received his doctorate in chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University. He joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Chemistry in 2005. Zhai is a Scialog Fellow at Research Corporation for Science Advancement and received an NSF CAREER award in 2008. He was the faculty advisor of a UCF team that won the Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing Idea Challenge in 2021.

The material is based upon work supported by NASA ESI Program Award 80NSSC25K7282. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the principal investigators and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scientists analyzed far-away bodies 麻豆精品 S� known as Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) 麻豆精品 S� and found varying traces of methanol. The discoveries are helping them better classify different TNOs and understand the complex chemical reactions in space that may relate to the formation of our solar system and the origin of life.

The findings, recently published in by the American Astronomical Society, reveal two distinct groups of TNOs with surface ice methanol presence: one with a depleted amount of surface methanol and a large reservoir beneath the surface, and another 麻豆精品 S� furthest from the Sun 麻豆精品 S� with an overall weaker methanol presence. The study suggests that cosmic irradiation over billions of years may have played a role in the first group 麻豆精品 S檚 varying methanol distribution, while raising new questions about the second group 麻豆精品 S檚 muted signatures.

Reaching Back in Time and Space

TNOs are important to our understanding of our solar system 麻豆精品 S檚 origins because they are incredibly well-preserved remnants of the protoplanetary disk 麻豆精品 S� or disk of gas and dust surrounding a young star such as the Sun 麻豆精品 S� and can give scientists a thorough glimpse into the past.

UCF Department of Physics Research Professor Noem铆 Pinilla-Alonso, who now works at the University of Oviedo in Spain, co-led the research as part of the UCF-led Discovering the Surface Compositions of Trans-Neptunian Objects (DiSCo) program which includes Associate Professor Ana Carolina de Souza-Feliciano.

Pinilla-Alonso says the research helps piece together the history of the solar system 麻豆精品 S檚 chemistry and gain insights into exoplanets, where methanol and methane play a crucial role in shaping atmospheres and hinting at the conditions of potentially habitable worlds.

麻豆精品 S淢ethanol, a simple alcohol, has been found on comets and distant TNOs, hinting that it may be a primitive ingredient inherited from the early days of our solar system 麻豆精品 S� or even from interstellar space, 麻豆精品 S� Pinilla-Alonso says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut methanol is more than just a leftover from the past. When exposed to radiation, it transforms into new compounds, acting as a chemical time capsule that reveals how these icy worlds have evolved over billions of years. 麻豆精品 S�

Methanol ice is a key precursor that may lead to organic molecules such as sugars, and its discovery in TNOs paves the way for so much more, she says.

These spectral differences reveal that not all TNOs formed from the same molecular ingredients, Pinilla-Alonso says. Instead, their compositions reflect their origins 麻豆精品 S� where and how they formed 麻豆精品 S� and their transformations over time.

麻豆精品 S淲hat excited me the most was realizing that these differences were linked to the behavior of methanol 麻豆精品 S� a key ingredient that had long been elusive on TNOs from earth-based observations, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur findings suggest that methanol is being destroyed on the surface of TNOs by irradiation, but remains more abundant in the subsurface, protected from this exposure. 麻豆精品 S�

Pinilla-Alonso worked alongside UCF FSI researchers, including de Souza-Feliciano, who synthesized the laboratory data with modeling to better explain the behavior of methanol.

De Souza-Feliciano helped to better visualize the findings by reproducing some of the spectral features the scientists were seeing and could provide mathematical support for the data in the study.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of the biggest surprises came from the methanol behavior, 麻豆精品 S� de Souza-Feliciano says. 麻豆精品 S淔rom laboratory data, its signatures at shorter wavelengths differ from the fundamental ones in longer wavelengths. 麻豆精品 S�

De Souza-Feliciano collaborated on prior DiSCo research projects using JWST that characterized binary objects and other distant TNOs.

麻豆精品 S淭he main DiSCo paper addressed the main characteristics of the three groups of TNOs, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭his paper goes into detail about one of them, known as the cliff group, which is the nickname for the spectral group where the reflectance did not increase after approximately 3.3 microns. 麻豆精品 S�

Not only are these cliff group TNOs time capsules for our solar system, but the group houses cold-classical TNOs which have largely stayed in place since their formation, de Souza-Feliciano says.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of the reasons why this group is a key for the outer solar system understanding is [because] it contains all the cold-classical TNOs, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭he cold-classical TNOs are the only dynamic group that probably stayed in the place where they formed from the formation of the solar system to today. 麻豆精品 S�

International Collaboration

Rosario Brunetto, an astronomer at the Universit茅 Paris-Saclay, led the research with fellow scientists Elsa聽H茅nault and Sasha聽Cryan.

He says he believes this collaborative discovery will provide foundational knowledge of our solar system and ignite interest in planetary science.

麻豆精品 S淭his discovery not only reshapes our understanding of TNOs but also provides a crucial reference for interpreting JWST 麻豆精品 S檚 observations of other distant objects, such as Neptune Trojans, Centaurs and asteroids, as well as for future missions exploring the outer solar system, 麻豆精品 S� Brunetto says. 麻豆精品 S淏eyond its scientific significance, the search for methanol in the solar system also fuels curiosity and inspires new generations to explore the cosmos and understand the chemical evolutions in space. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF FSI Assistant Scientist Charles Schambeau and UCF physics graduate student Brittany Harvison also contributed to the research.

The findings were made possible through an international collaboration with researchers from Northern Arizona University, the Laboratoire de G茅ologie de Lyon in France, NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Space Telescope Science Institute, the Max-Planck-Institut f眉r extraterrestrische Physik in Germany, the Lowell Observatory, the Universidade de Coimbra in Portugal, INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania in Italy, the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, the Instituto de Astrof铆sica de Canarias in Spain, the Universidad de La Laguna in Spain, Fundaci贸n Galileo Galilei-INAF in Spain and Observat贸rio Nacional do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Researchers 麻豆精品 S� Credentials:

De Souza-Feliciano is an associate professor at FSI. She received a doctoral degree in astronomy from Observat贸rio Nacional de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her main scientific interest is the characterization of the surface properties of small bodies in the solar system through an observational perspective. She 麻豆精品 S檚 been deeply involved in the study of the surface composition of TNOS to better understand the variety of the entire population using both ground-based and space-based facilities. Because of this, de Souza-Felicano is involved in several projects using the JWST.

Pinilla-Alonso is a former FSI professor who joined UCF in 2015. Most of her work on this project was conducted while she was at UCF. Pinilla-Alonso also holds a joint appointment as a research professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚聽,聽and has led numerous international observational campaigns supporting NASA missions such as New Horizons, OSIRIS-REx and Lucy. Pinilla-Alonso is a distinguished researcher at the Institute for Space Sciences and Technologies in Asturias, within the Universidad de Oviedo. She received a doctoral degree in astrophysics and planetary sciences from the Universidad de La Laguna in Spain.

This strategic collaboration combines Operator Solutions 麻豆精品 S� hands-on operational expertise with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 academic and research excellence to develop cutting-edge training programs, pioneer medical research and enhance real-world response capabilities in high-risk environments.

Key Initiatives of the Partnership

The collaboration will drive multiple initiatives aimed at improving medical preparedness in spaceflight and extreme environments.

• Developing Medical Training Modules for Commercial Spaceflight

Operator Solutions and UCF will provide specialized training for physicians, paramedics, flight nurses, medical students and resident physicians. The focus will be on triage procedures, in-flight patient care using helicopters and managing mass casualty incidents at sea. Operator Solutions is also developing a medical skills lab at UCF, where paramedics can master critical techniques such as wound care, fluid resuscitation and stabilization under high-stress conditions. Additionally, trainees will gain hands-on experience in the College of Medicine 麻豆精品 S檚 Anatomy Lab, learning life-saving procedures like chest tube insertion and evisceration treatment.

• Enhancing In-flight Medical Care for Space Travelers

With the number of space travelers increasing and missions lasting longer, Operator Solutions and UCF aim to develop new technologies to improve point-of-care medical treatment in space. Their research will focus on ultrasound and telemedicine systems for treating conditions such as kidney stones and blood clots, as well as real-time health monitoring solutions for astronauts 麻豆精品 S� critical for long-duration missions, including those planned for Mars.

Advancing the Future of Aerospace Medicine

As America 麻豆精品 S檚 Space University, UCF is the ideal academic partner for this endeavor. The university was founded to provide talent to fuel the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 space program and today is a national leader in many areas of space research, including developing new technologies for space missions and advancing the health and well-being of space travelers.

This partnership strengthens an unrivaled opportunity for UCF students to prepare for careers in this rapidly growing field. UCF is creating a new space medicine curriculum that will involve students from many disciplines, including medicine, nursing, engineering, computer science, optics and photonics 麻豆精品 S� and establishing what will be the nation 麻豆精品 S檚 first master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in space medicine.

Located in Melbourne, Florida, Operator Solutions combines decades of military, spaceflight and medical expertise to offer operational, rescue and recovery services to government and private companies. Its pararescuers are qualified to offer paramedic-level care anywhere in the world, including parachuting into remote rescue sites. The company specializes in open-ocean rescue of boaters and astronauts and helped develop procedures for astronaut rescue and retrieval for the commercial space program. Its workforce is 100% military veterans.

麻豆精品 S淭his partnership represents a significant leap forward in aerospace medical training, 麻豆精品 S� says Christopher Lais of Operator Solutions. 麻豆精品 S淏y combining our hands-on operational expertise with UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 world-class academic research, we are creating a framework that will shape the future of spaceflight medical preparedness and emergency response. 麻豆精品 S�

Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair of at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine, emphasized the growing importance of aerospace medical training.

麻豆精品 S淎s commercial space travel expands, ensuring that astronauts, spaceflight crews and emergency responders are equipped with essential medical knowledge and skills is critical, 麻豆精品 S� Urquieta says. 麻豆精品 S淭his collaboration will push the boundaries of medical science and training, helping us ensure safety and preparedness in extreme environments. 麻豆精品 S�

Urquieta is one of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 foremost leaders in space medicine. He came to UCF after serving as chief medical officer of the NASA-funded Translational Institute for Space Health led by the Baylor College of Medicine. His goal is to make UCF a model of interdisciplinary medical research focused on improving the health of space travelers and also those on Earth.

Setting the Standard for Space Mission Readiness

By leveraging their combined expertise, Operator Solutions and UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Medicine are establishing new benchmarks in medical education, research and operational readiness for both spaceflight and emergency response. This partnership is poised to transform aerospace medicine, delivering life-saving solutions for the next generation of space missions.