The University of Texas at Austin will become the first university to work directly with the U.S. Space Force to detect and respond to threats in space related to national security. A $9.3 million seed grant from the Texas Space Commission will fund a new Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Tools, Applications, and Processing (TAP) Lab at UT Austin.
Space domain awareness includes tracking objects orbiting Earth such as satellites, debris from rockets, and potential threats from adversaries. Moriba Jah, who leads the research for this project, described threats as anything with “intent, opportunity and capability to cause harm” to assets like telecommunications satellites or spacecraft.
“The SDA TAP Lab anchors Texas within the national space security defense research ecosystem,” said Jah, a professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. “This effort allows us to develop and rigorously test scalable analytic methods to detect and track objects in orbit, then provide those capabilities to operational partners.”
The new lab at UT will work alongside an existing privately operated TAP SAP Lab in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Bringing this framework into an academic setting is expected to increase access to UT’s research resources and computing power.
UT plans to use its advanced computing facilities—including the Texas Advanced Computing Center—to securely process large orbital datasets, simulate complex orbital activities, and assess algorithms for monitoring space activity on a large scale.
Research at SDA TAP Lab Texas will focus on developing new tools through prototyping and benchmarking while also supporting workforce development by involving industry partners with university researchers. The lab will also train students from various fields such as engineering, computer science, policy, law, and business by engaging them directly with industry and government partners on projects that support national security needs.
Gwen Griffin, chair of the Texas Space Commission board said: “The expansion of the SDA TAP Lab into Texas represents a significant step forward for the Space Force and for the state. SDA TAP Lab Texas brings together academic research, industry innovation and advanced computing in a way that strengthens national defense and long-term space resilience.”
The funding provided by the Texas Space Commission’s Space Exploration & Aeronautics Research Fund will be used for building out lab infrastructure as well as supporting up to six cycles of industry teams focused on technology development aligned with U.S. Space Force goals.
Operations at SDA TAP Lab Texas are set to begin immediately with early cohorts helping define research directions. By becoming the first higher education institution awarded this grant, UT Austin aims to play a key role in expanding both space industry activity in Texas and capabilities vital for U.S. defense.
