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Research

Research

Every day the future is being expanded in our labs. From the development of advanced unoccupied aerial vehicles to new aerodynamic techniques and unconventional space propulsion concepts, the faculty and students of UW Aero & Astro are honing the cutting edge of tomorrow's technologies.

Illustration of the spacecraft containing NASA’s Perseverance rover slows down using the drag generated by its motion in the Martian atmosphere.

Space Systems

Space Systems addresses key challenges to achieve off-planet activities that require vast increases in current technology to operate long-term in space and support biological life.

Man next to a prototype in a lab

Structures & Composites

Engineered advanced materials and adaptive structures for sustainable terrestrial and space travel, security and habitation. 

Two researchers putting together an aerial vehicle outdoors

Controls

The design of algorithms and techniques to enable systems to independently perceive, reason, and act within their environment.

Man in a wind tunnel lab, sitting in front of a computer observing data

Integrated Flight Sciences and Control

The combination of structures, aerodynamics, and controls for designing advance aerospace vehicles.

Machines in a lab

Plasma Science

The fundamental study of the fourth state of matter for applications in fusion, deep space propulsion and space science.

Two researchers conducting fluids research on the aerospace thermal lab

Fluids

Aerodynamics, thermodynamics, turbulence and mixing with applications in propulsion, flight and energy.

If you are interested in connecting with faculty or sponsoring a research project, please contact A&A's External Relations to set up a department visit.