NASA
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Vanderbilt joins Planetary Society’s Hill Day to champion federal science funding
What does it take to listen to the universe and ensure the U.S. stays at the forefront of that discovery? For Vanderbilt University researchers, part of the answer lies in continued federal support for science, particularly through agencies like NASA and the National Science Foundation. Read MoreNov 6, 2025
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Vanderbilt University’s Ralf Bennartz to lead NASA mission to study ice clouds
Vanderbilt University, led by Professor Ralf Bennartz, will lead a NASA satellite mission investigating Earth's high-altitude ice clouds, backed by a robust grant of $37 million. This endeavor, leveraging the university's climate research expertise, will provide opportunities for student involvement and bolsters Vanderbilt's position in global climate research. Read MoreJan 14, 2025
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Vanderbilt University’s Ralf Bennartz to lead NASA mission to study ice clouds
Vanderbilt University, led by Professor Ralf Bennartz, will lead a NASA satellite mission investigating Earth's high-altitude ice clouds, backed by a robust grant of $37 million. This endeavor, leveraging the university's climate research expertise, wi... Read MoreJan 13, 2025
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Stephen Taylor appointed to NASA’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission
Taylor is one of only six scientists nationwide appointed to the LISA team, a joint mission between the European Space Agency and NASA. LISA is a space-based gravitational wave detector constructed of three spacecraft separated by millions of miles in a triangle shape as big as the sun. Read MoreSep 19, 2024
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Field engineering summer internship shapes four students’ aerospace careers
Vanderbilt engineering students Rais Nurhidajat, Jonathan Zak, Leo Brenes, and graduate student Andrew Noonan gained invaluable aerospace career experience this summer at the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory. Their project, developing an autorotative lander, advanced their technical skills and provided a springboard for their future careers in the aerospace industry. Read MoreSep 16, 2024
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Next-gen air safety systems incorporating risk models and data analysis developed by Vanderbilt engineers
As the nation’s skies become more crowded with commercial air traffic and U.S. air traffic control systems struggle with staffing and aging infrastructure, the risk of narrowly avoided collisions in the air and on the tarmac has increased significantly in the last five years. Following the recent conclusion of a $10 million, five-year NASA grant, research conducted by experts from the Vanderbilt School of Engineering can be used to integrate risk models and relevant data sources into future air traffic management systems. Read MoreNov 16, 2023
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Next-gen air safety systems incorporating risk models and data analysis developed by Vanderbilt engineers
by Brenda Ellis As the nation’s skies become more crowded with commercial air traffic and U.S. air traffic control systems struggle with staffing and aging infrastructure, the risk of narrowly avoided collisions in the air and on the tarmac has increased significantly in the last five years. The nation’s top accident investigator said that a... Read MoreNov 15, 2023
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Scientist who helped prove Einstein theory opens doors to black holes for students with diverse majors
Vanderbilt astrophysicist Karan Jani helped prove Einstein's theory of relativity as it relates to black holes and gravitational waves. Learn how he's using his expertise to teach undergrads with diverse majors who are eager to learn about space. Read MoreJun 26, 2023
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Gift extends support for Vanderbilt’s award-winning rocket team
The inaugural Mark Dalton Faculty Director of Experiential Learning in Aerospace Engineering is Amrutur "A.V.” Anilkumar. Anilkumar has served as the faculty adviser to Vanderbilt teams that have won numerous national and international aerospace engineering awards over two decades. Read MoreMay 2, 2023
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Kimberly Robinson, BE’89: A New Space Age
Kimberly Robinson, CEO and executive director of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, believes that the nation is on the brink of another exciting Space Age, similar to the 1960s. Read MoreAug 19, 2021
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4D printed thermite could make welding in space and combat zones easier, safer
A recent mechanical engineering doctoral graduate has created a material for welding in extreme conditions that could minimize equipment needed and operator hazards. Read MoreJul 20, 2020
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National Academies committee including Vanderbilt astrophysicist publishes review of latest NASA Science Plan
An astrophysicist at Vanderbilt is part of the committee behind a review of NASA’s updated Science Plan, a five-year strategic roadmap for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Read MoreOct 18, 2019
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Rare study of Earth-sized planet uses technique pioneered by Vanderbilt professor
A groundbreaking study, using data from NASA and a technique pioneered by a Vanderbilt professor, is giving humankind a glimpse at a distant exoplanet with a size similar to Earth and a surface which may resemble Mercury or Earth’s Moon. Located nearly 49 light-years from Earth, the planet known… Read MoreAug 19, 2019
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The hunt is on for closest Earth-like planets
The catalog identifies 1,823 stars for which TESS is sensitive enough to spot Earth-like planets just a bit larger than Earth that receive radiation from their star equivalent to what Earth receives from our sun. Read MoreMar 26, 2019
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Launch Pad: Vanderbilt’s internationally acclaimed student rocket team has propelled many alumni into the science of spaceflight
During the past 11 years, NASA has awarded the Vanderbilt rocket team eight payload design awards and five national championships. The team has won a total of 30 national and international awards and 16 regional awards. In addition, the Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Lab has launched an impressive number of graduates into roles at companies such as SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Rolls Royce, NASA and Northrop. Read MoreFeb 19, 2019
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Risk modeling, data integration drive NASA next-gen air travel safety project
Sankaran Mahadevan is leading a team of Vanderbilt engineers in an ambitious NASA effort to revolutionize air traffic control. Read MoreJan 9, 2019
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Vanderbilt joins NASA in eclipse balloon launch
Vanderbilt University researchers joined a national NASA weather balloon project giving scientists and people around the world a view of the total solar eclipse from the edge of space. Read MoreAug 24, 2017
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Racing the eclipse, School of Engineering weather balloon sends striking video
A high-altitude weather balloon rose yesterday from a Vanderbilt garage rooftop to the edge of space to live-stream the eclipse from above Nashville and record the temporary atmospheric changes it caused. Read MoreAug 24, 2017
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Vanderbilt launches test balloon in preparation for total solar eclipse research
Vanderbilt University is part of a national NASA project to give scientists a view of the eclipse from the edge of space. The high altitude balloon, launched by Vanderbilt, will carry a 12 pound payload or scientific instruments for research and a camera for live streaming. Follow Vanderbilt on Twitter:… Read MoreAug 14, 2017
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Astronomers discover exoplanet hotter than most stars
Astronomers at Vanderbilt and Ohio State have discovered a planet like Jupiter zipping around its host star every day, boiling at temperatures hotter than most stars with a giant cometary tail. Read MoreJun 5, 2017