About Florida Space Institute (FSI)

FSGC/FSI Ground Station Web Site

History and Structure

Resulting from studies and reports on potential State involvement in space, in 1990 the University of Central Florida (UCF) founded the Space Education and Research Center (SERC) as a Type 2 State University System (SUS) institute, drawing from faculty and academic departments within UCF. SERC, located on the UCF campus, developed a classroom curriculum for space technology and a space studies minor at UCF. Encouraged by the Spaceport Florida Authority (now the Space Florida), in 1996 UCF changed the name of SERC to the Florida Space Institute (FSI), and expanded the nature of the institute. FSI was reshaped as a consortium of state universities, community colleges, and private schools, expanding its research and teaching activities, and relocating to the space center. An agreement was signed by the presidents of UCF, Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), the Brevard Community College (BCC) and the director of Space Florida to support Florida’s space industry and to expand Florida’s space industry beyond the space launch activity. To do this FSI set its objectives and mission to support the goals of Kennedy Space Center, the Eastern Range, and Florida’s space industry. Since then the consortium has been expanded, and counts as its members FIT, BCC, UCF, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), University of Miami (UM), Florida Atlantic University (FAU), University of South Florida (USF), University of Florida (UF), and Broward Community College. Additionally, through NASA’s Florida Space Grant Consortium program resident with FSI, some 16 additional universities and colleges throughout Florida enjoy an indirect relationship with the Institute.

In February 2000, UCF submitted a proposal to the SUS to re-designate FSI at a Type-1 institute, with a concomitant statewide charter as a Center-of-Excellence for space research and education. In November 2000 the Florida Board of Regents (now the Board of Governors) voted to re-designate FSI as a Type-1 institute, contingent on funding from the Legislature. During the 2001 Florida Legislative Session, FSI was given a level of sustaining funding, validating the earlier Board of Regents selection of FSI as a SUS Type 1 Institute under UCF.

FSI is located at the space center, in Brevard County in East Central Florida, so as to provide a focus on space for the research and education programs of the institutional members. Classrooms, faculty offices and laboratories are located at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center, in the Astronaut Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education facility. While the academic program is at the core of FSI, providing Masters and Ph.D. level programs of study, the Institute also has a strong engineering support staff, and performs research on contracts and grants, providing real-life opportunities for student research and thesis projects. The organizational structure also encourages research on the individual campuses of the member schools, allowing the development of space hardware, and then "flowing" that hardware through the FSI facilities at the space center for processing and then on to space flight.

By coupling the educational program, the FSI facilities, engineering support, and the Florida Space Grant research awards, FSI institutional members have come together to create a strong synergistic structure for space research and education.

Objectives of the Florida Space Institute

The objectives of the Florida Space Institute were set to meet the goals, to respond to the external forces, and to fulfill the recommendations of the Strategic Plan of the University of Central Florida. The objectives of the Florida Space Institute are:

• To support the space industry in Florida
• To enhance and expand the diversity of space-related industries within Florida
• To consolidate and focus Florida's space research and educational efforts
• To provide academic support to government and commercial space programs
• To enable Florida's universities and community colleges to establish an internationally recognized research and education institute
• To foster cooperation among government, industry, and education organizations

Mission of the Florida Space Institute

• The mission of FSI is defined to meet its objectives. That mission is to support Florida’s space industry through university education, applied and basic research in space-related fields, and technical training.
• FSI shall conduct research, develop and transfer technology, and provide service to the scientific community and the public.
• FSI shall assist the science and research community for access to infrastructure at NASA, the Air Force and the Florida Space Authority at the space center.
• FSI shall conduct research and educational programs at the spaceport to support the Kennedy Space Center as a NASA Center of Excellence for spaceport technology and payload processing systems.
• FSI will expand Florida's space industry by developing educational programs and conducting research related to payloads (space instruments) and satellites.

Current Assets in Place

• Cape Canaveral Air Force Station/US Air Force and Kennedy Space Center/NASA
• Space Florida commercial launch facilities at SLC 46
• SLC-47 educational launch complex at CCAFS for launching Super-Loki Dart sub-orbital sounding rockets
• University of Central Florida and it's world class Institute Programs in communications, space engineering and management; Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) and Institute for Simulation and Training (IST).
• Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Community College space-related education and training degree programs. Programs in space science, engineering and launch technologies, aerospace technician training.
• Missile Defense Agency "Innovative Science and Technology Experimentation Facility" (ISTEF) for laser radar and imaging, located at Kennedy Space Center.
• Academic Center at the Astronaut Memorial Foundation Center for Space Education, located at the KSC Visitor Complex.
• Mobile laboratories and equipment for broadband wireless communications testing.

FSI Partners

Contacts and E-mail Addresses for Member School's Point-of-Contact