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Welcome

The NASA MIRO Inflatable Deployable Environments and Adaptive Space Systems (IDEAS2) Center at UH was established in 2024 to support the space agency’s strategic goal of extending human presence on the moon and Mars for sustainable, long-term space exploration, development and utilization. The $4,996,136 grant is funded by the NASA Office of STEM Engagement Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO) program.

VISION

The vision of the NASA MIRO Inflatable Deployable Environments and Adaptive Space Systems (IDEAS2) Center is to become a premier national innovation hub, propelling a NASA-centric, state-of-the-art research and diverse aerospace education into the 21st century.

MISSION

The mission of the Center is to establish a sustainable nexus of excellence in aerospace engineering research and education supported by targeted multi-institutional collaborations, strategic partnerships, and diverse educational initiatives.

GOALS

  1. Institutional capacity building: Establish University of Houston (UH) as a premier aerospace research and educational academic institution.
  2. Propelling NASA-centric research: Conduct cutting-edge research on inflatable and deployable structures and adaptive space systems in close collaboration with the adjacent NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to support NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) mission.
  3. Establishing strategic partnerships: Promote and foster collaborations with NASA, other universities, community colleges and industry to benefit the Center’s research objectives and educational goals.
  4. Supporting student education: Support student aerospace engineering education and training through engagement in research, active project involvement, experiential learning and internships emphasizing the recruitment and retention of under-represented groups in STEM.
  5. Mentoring diverse workforce: Promote and support a diverse STEM pipeline, building tomorrow’s aerospace workforce.
  6. Ensuring Sustainability: Secure the Center’s continuity, prosperity, longevity, and ability to financially support itself after the end of the NASA MIRO funding.