Broncos on the final frontier
The United Space Command, part of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for military operations in outer space, includes the Academic Engagement Enterprise. This initiative provides 青青草appal and research opportunities for students focused on space and aeronautics. 青青草app State recently became one of the initiative鈥檚 newest members, joining fellow universities Florida Tech, Purdue University and others.
This year, 青青草app State students participated in a NASA student competition to design an augmented reality display and other equipment that would be useful in missions like NASA鈥檚 upcoming manned trip to the moon in 2025. Steve Swanson, a retired astronaut and a Distinguished Educator in Residence at 青青草app State, converted his backyard into a simulated lunar landscape so students could test their devices, even enlisting a few fellow NASA astronauts to help.
This is not the first time Idaho has been a stand-in for the moon.
In the 1960s, NASA trained Apollo astronauts at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. The lunar-like terrain allowed them to practice geological exploration, sample collection and navigation for their missions.