The University of Texas System and NASA’s Johnson Space Center have entered into a Space Act Agreement aimed at strengthening research collaboration, workforce development, and educational engagement in the fields of space exploration and national security.
John M. Zerwas MD, Chancellor of the UT System, said, “It’s an exciting time for the UT System and NASA to come together in new ways because Texas is at the epicenter of America’s space future. It’s an area where America is dominant, and we are committed as a university system to maintaining and growing that dominance.”
Vanessa Wyche, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, stated, “NASA’s Johnson Space Center has a long history of working with colleges and universities to help us achieve our human spaceflight missions. We are eager to partner with the UT System to collaborate in vital research and technology development initiatives that will enable us to meet our nation’s exploration goals and advance the future of space exploration.”
The agreement continues a longstanding relationship between the UT System and NASA. For example, twelve astronauts who graduated from UT Austin have spent over 500 days in space collectively since Alan Bean became the fourth person on the moon in 1969. The University’s medical branches also contribute by training astronauts through specialized aerospace medicine programs.
Other ongoing collaborations include joint operation of a Digital Engineering Design Center between UT El Paso and NASA at UTEP’s Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center; NASA-funded power research projects at UT San Antonio focusing on hypersonic flow, aerodynamics, and atmospheric science; as well as initiatives such as UT Austin’s Center for Space Research and Texas Advanced Computing Center supporting rocket propulsion modeling.
Additionally, cybersecurity efforts are highlighted by institutions like UT San Antonio’s Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institution that focuses on protecting satellites from cyber threats. UTRGV operates its STARGATE spaceport lab near SpaceX’s South Texas Launch site.
Beyond work with NASA, since 2021 the UT System has maintained a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Space Force for advanced research partnerships. In 2023, state lawmakers established the Texas Space Commission which granted $9.27 million to support orbital object tracking research at UT Austin (https://www.texasspace.gov/). In 2025, lawmakers created Texas Cyber Command headquartered at UT San Antonio—the first state agency based outside Austin.
Texas is home to more than 2,100 aerospace companies—including major firms like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, and SpaceX—which provide over 165,000 jobs in this sector (https://gov.texas.gov/business/page/aerospace-aviation).
“We’re living through a unique moment where aerospace innovation, national security, economic transformation, and scientific discovery are converging like never before in Texas,” added Zerwas. “UT institutions are uniquely positioned to partner with NASA in building a stronger and safer Texas.”
