The Vermont Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) has received a 2009 Consortium Development Competition Award of $195,000 from the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) to fund a research project that will develop a CubeSat satellite payload package capable of escaping low Earth orbit, autonomously navigating into a lunar orbit, then landing on the Moon. This project will involve faculty and student researchers at the University of Vermont (UVM), Vermont Technical College, Norwich University, and St. Michael's College.

"The University of Vermont is proud to have the VSGC receive this NASA Award," says Bernard "Chip" Cole, Interim Dean of the UVM College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS). "The award demonstrates both the strength of Vermont's academic researchers and the interdisciplinary capabilities of our research teams."

The VSGC is based within UVM's College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) and is overseen by Director and Professor William D. Lakin of CEMS, who is also Project Director for Vermont's NASA EPSCoR Program. According to Prof. Lakin, "Vermont's CubeSat Lunar Lander Project is an exciting undertaking that will develop Vermont's research capabilities in an area that is a NASA research priority."

VSGC is dedicated to encouraging students at all levels to take more mathematics and science courses, and to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) areas. VSGC was established in 1992 as part of NASA's National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. Affiliates include Vermont academic institutions, professional organizations, private sector companies, and community organizations interested in the enhancement of scientific and technical education and the promotion of research in aerospace-related areas.

For more information, please contact William Lakin at lakin@cems.uvm.edu.