The University of Connecticut has signed a memorandum of understanding with Voyager Technologies to establish a regional hub for space-based research and technology commercialization, the Denver-based defense and space technology company announced Tuesday.
The partnership will create a Connecticut location for VISTA, the Voyager Institute for Science, Technology and Advancement, which aims to advance in-space research, manufacturing and services.
The collaboration will focus on research and commercialization in metamaterials, microgravity and quantum technologies.
Faculty from across UConn will have opportunities to work with Voyager, with initial collaboration focusing on photonics, quantum sensing and advanced composite materials, said Stephanie Reitz, a UConn spokeswoman.
The efforts will draw on expertise from UConn’s Institute of Materials Science, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Computing and UConn Health, she said.
The university’s School of Business and Technology Commercialization Services will provide commercialization support, Reitz said.
Voyager intends to sponsor student experiential learning projects at UConn, providing hands-on, industry-driven experiences, Reitz added.
UConn President Radenka Maric said the university “has built national distinction in materials science and advanced manufacturing, including breakthrough work in solid-state battery materials designed to perform in extreme environments such as space.”
Voyager Technologies recently announced a similar partnership with the University of North Dakota. Ohio State University serves as the anchor hub for the initiative.
The company said it plans to continue expanding VISTA through additional regional hubs focused on workforce development and technologies serving civil, commercial and national security markets.
The partnership builds on UConn’s existing relationships with companies in the aerospace and defense sectors, including Pratt & Whitney, Electric Boat and Sikorsky.
