News
Upcoming Microgravity Drop Vehicle Competition
Mike Conroy, project manager at FSI, had the pleasure of mentoring three FSI and NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium sponsored teams who are developing a microgravity drop vehicle for a design competition taking place on April 27th at Florida Polytechnic University. He was greatly assisted with this project by Joshua Colwell (Department of Physics Chair Read More …
Florida Space Institute Scientist Recognized as 2022 Orange County Distinguished Resident
By Alexandra Angeloff | April 6, 2022 UCF planetary scientist Noemí Pinilla-Alonso was recognized as Orange County’s Distinguished Resident for 2022 during a surprise ceremony on March 28. The county says the award aims to spotlight individuals who “with their work or their actions, exemplify collaboration, innovation and inclusion.” Pinilla-Alonso became a resident of Orange County in Read More …
Self-Assembly Landing Pads for the Moon — FSI Researchers Are Working on It
UCF researchers are working with private companies to develop some intriguing ways to get astronauts to the moon safely. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | NOVEMBER 24, 2021 Imagine hitting a button and instantly creating a landing pad just moments before descending a rocket onto the moon or an asteroid. That’s the concept behind two research projects underway Read More …
The Success of FSI Researchers Featured In UCF’s Office of Research 2020-2021 Annual Report
According to the information written up by Zendaya Gonzalez Kotala, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Communications at UCF, “Florida Space Institute (FSI) had some big wins this past year, especially in the area of post-doctoral success. FSI generated more than $11.8 million in grants, up from $9.1 million in 2019. Several of those Read More …
A Reflection on Hispanic Heritage Month 2021 As It Came To A Close Last Week
For many years, Florida Space Institute (FSI) and Arecibo Observatory (AO) have had a fruitful and longstanding relationship between the organizations and fellow researchers that embodies Hispanic pride and heritage. Noemi Pinilla-Alonso, Associate Researcher in Planetary Science at Florida Space Institute and Deputy Principal Scientist at Arecibo Observatory, talks about the relationship between FSI and Read More …
UCF Celebrates World Space Week All October Long
While the United Nations designated a weeklong celebration, space is a lifetime passion at UCF, reflected in its research and on the football field. BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | OCTOBER 4, 2021 Today kicks off World Space Week, the largest annual space event that spans the globe. The United Nations designated the week in 1999 to help Read More …
FSI, UCF, and AO Researchers Honored With Asteroids Bearing Their Names
In a bulletin published on Friday, Working Group on Small Bodies (WGSM) of the IAU announced the researchers who had been honored with asteroids bearing their names, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the field of Planetary Science. The following honorees includes 8 current and 2 former UCF/FSI researchers and 4 colleagues at Arecibo Read More …
Claire Castillo, FSGC’s Communications Coordinator, Graduates With Some Epic Grad Pics
Claire grew up in the Space Coast/Titusville area, and attended Titusville High School before moving to Orlando to study at UCF. In April, she graduated from UCF with a Associate of Science in Nursing and in August, she graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In her spare time, she loves to surf! Claire Read More …
Noemi Pinilla-Alonso is the lead investigator on one project and a co-investigator on two others which will explore trans-Neptunian objects, Pluto and Uranus moons.
BY ZENAIDA GONZALEZ KOTALA | MAY 3, 2021 When the James Webb Space Telescope launches later this year, UCF researcher Noemi Pinilla Alonso will be among a select group of scientists worldwide who will have more than 100 hours of observation time awarded to conduct her work. The JWST telescope, which has been described as Read More …