Space Force Sponsors Utah State’s Research Lab as UARC

The Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), headquartered in North Logan, Utah, with field offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Chantilly, Virginia, and Huntsville, Alabama, has formally transitioned its Department of Defense (DoD) University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) sponsorship from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration (SAF/SQ). Established in 1996, UARCs foster enduring relationships between the DoD and university-linked non-profit research entities, concentrating on core competencies vital to advancing DoD technological requirements; SDL’s research portfolio encompasses advanced sensing and systems, autonomous systems and intelligent control, space mission design and operations, integrated command, control, and data systems, modelling, simulation, and phenomenology, and cyber and networked systems. Initiated in 1959 with a contract from the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories (AFCRL), a precursor to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), SDL, under the leadership of President Dr. Jed Hancock, will continue operating as a trusted UARC partner, collaborating across the broader DoD enterprise to deliver research and technologies aligned with the space mission of the Department of the Air Force.

Laboratory Infrastructure

The Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), formally designated a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) since 1996, maintains a geographically distributed infrastructure supporting its diverse research portfolio. Headquartered on the Utah State University Innovation Campus in North Logan, Utah, this central facility houses core research teams and advanced prototyping capabilities. This strategic location fosters close collaboration with university faculty and students, facilitating knowledge transfer and access to a skilled workforce, a key tenet of the UARC model designed to cultivate enduring relationships between the DoD and academic institutions. Beyond the central Utah facility, SDL operates field offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chantilly, Virginia; and Huntsville, Alabama, each strategically positioned to support specific DoD initiatives and foster partnerships with relevant agencies. These geographically dispersed locations allow SDL to respond rapidly to evolving DoD requirements and maintain close working relationships with key stakeholders across the defence enterprise.

The Huntsville office, for example, provides direct support to programmes at the Redstone Arsenal and leverages the concentration of aerospace and defence expertise in the region. SDL’s laboratory infrastructure is equipped with specialised facilities for advanced sensing and systems development, autonomous systems prototyping, and space mission simulation. This includes anechoic chambers for electromagnetic compatibility testing, thermal vacuum chambers for simulating space environments, and high-performance computing clusters for data analysis and modelling. The laboratory’s capabilities extend to rapid prototyping facilities, enabling the quick turnaround of designs and the validation of concepts in realistic operating conditions. Jed Hancock, president of SDL, has consistently highlighted the importance of maintaining a state-of-the-art infrastructure to support the delivery of trusted research and technologies. SDL’s research in integrated command, control, and data systems relies heavily on a dedicated network infrastructure and secure data storage facilities. This infrastructure supports the development of algorithms, machine learning techniques, and human and machine learning. SDL also maintains a robust cybersecurity posture, employing advanced security protocols and intrusion detection systems.