UTSA researcher will help build homes on Mars

UTSA has been tapped by NASA to join a team that will build homes on the moon and Mars. Yes, you heard that right!

As space missions beyond Earth become more ambitious, NASA needs to develop new ways to keep habitats operational when they are not occupied by astronauts.

One Smart Guy

To get the project started, NASA has created Space Technology Research Institutes, super exclusive clubs of smart researchers.

UTSA engineering prof Arturo Montoya will be joining the elite group.

Within this NASA group, Montoya will join NASA’s Resilient Extra Terrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi). This team aims to build uber adaptable habitats that can endure expected and unexpected space distuptions.

The Columbia grad specializes in traditional and tech-heavy civil infrastructure.

To support the program, UTSA will receive funding to build computational models, including the algorithms needed to put homes on Mars.

Illustration of the interior of a deep space habitat. Photo courtesy: NASA

In Really. Really Good Company

UTSA’s in really good company on this new project. The RETHi team includes Purdue University, the University of Connecticut and Harvard.

Even better? UTSA students will have a chance to work on this galactic project.

Imagine putting that on your resume before you graduate.

Birds Up, UTSA.

Learn more about Professor’s Montoya work and NASA’s STRIs programs.

Celebrate UTSA’s 50th Anniversary and share social media posts about the 50th using the hashtag #UTSA50.

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UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.

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