Partnering to roam the moon and train the space workforce

ASU’s Milo Space Science Institute is improving access to space exploration by lowering costs and training the space industry workforce. Through its collaborative model, parties share costs and risks to take on complex space projects that would be impossible for them to tackle alone.

This fall, the Milo Institute, as part of the Lunar Outpost team, became a finalist in a competition to build a Lunar Terrain Vehicle for NASA. The team’s planned moon rover, Lunar Dawn LTV, will support NASA’s Artemis astronauts and advance lunar science.

ASU is leading Lunar Outpost’s Science Council, whose international experts will help direct Lunar Dawn’s operations for maximum scientific discovery. The Milo Institute is an integral partner, with ASU NewSpace, in linking ASU to the national and international commercial and governmental space sectors.

The Milo Mission Academies offer professional training and workforce development to Lunar Dawn participants that allow them to develop transferable skills within their home countries or institutions. This supports the Milo Institute’s mission to contribute to a global future where space exploration and commerce are within reach for all.

The Milo Institute also offers professional training in planetary stewardship. It partnered with the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust to form the Milo Climate Action Academy. This program seeks to form and equip Puerto Rico’s future science and technology leaders with the necessary tools to create innovative solutions to the growing climate challenges on the island.

The space industry will only continue to grow in its need for support services from the private sector, a qualified workforce, international cooperation and shared space assets. By innovating in these areas, the Milo Institute positions itself to be a leading resource in a new era of opportunity.

Expansive Earth observation dataset now available

Planet Labs and ASU have partnered to provide free access for ASU users — including students, researchers and policymakers — to Planet Labs’ massive trove of Earth-observation data. The company downlinks 11 terabytes of satellite imagery data per day from its large network of cubesat spacecraft, which orbits the Earth every 90 minutes, providing time-resolved data to users.