A vision for the future

As one of the founding directors of COSMIAC, Christos Christodoulou returned to lead the center in January 2023 after having served more than five years as the UNM School of Engineering Jim and Ellen King Dean of Engineering and Computing.

With an extensive resumé of research accomplishments, publications, collaborations and expertise in RF reconfigurable antennas, Christodoulou is taking his over four decades of experience and looking toward the future in space research. To him, the possibilities are endless, not just in research, but in job creation and economic development for New Mexico.

He is excited about the future of space research and growth in the state (he is an advisory board member of NewSpace Nexus, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit space-industry accelerator, conveniently located right behind COSMIAC’s high-bay research facility).

“I want COSMIAC to be on everybody’s radar. ”

Among the emerging areas that COSMIAC is pursuing are space solar power beaming, manufacturing space structures and sensors using 3D metal printing, and space systems cybersecurity.

“New Mexico [Economic Development Department] has identified aerospace as one of the state’s target industries for growth. At COSMIAC, we are creating jobs and are a pipeline for students to enter the space industry and be part of the transformation of New Mexico to a high-tech economy.”