Space Lab

The Space exPloration And spaceCraft Engineering Laboratory (SPACE Lab), led by Professor Paula do Vale Pereira, is part of the Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences Department at the Florida Institute of Technology. Our research focuses on hardware development for space exploration, mainly through the use of small satellites, CubeSats, and cryobots (probes for the exploration of Ocean Worlds). The research laboratory space is equipped with a large optical table (4ft x 8ft), workbenches, and testing equipment, such as power supplies, oscilloscopes, and function generators. We are currently working on installing a cleanroom and a TVAC chamber in our lab too. Through the university, we have access to multiple workstations for professional engineering design software such as AGI STK, PTC Creo, ANSYS Thermal Desktop, and MATLAB. We also have access to multiple prototyping facilities equipped with FDM, SLA, and SLS 3D printers, laser cutters, waterjet cutters, milling machines of 3 and 4 axes, and manual and CNC lathes. Besides following us here, you can also follow our Instagram, where our students post about their work and day-to-day experience: