Affiliated Research Centers
The following centers are divisions of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station and are located at Texas A&M University.
Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute
The Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute works with academic institutions and industry to improve and to reduce the costs of complex subsystems in aerospace vehicle systems, architectures, tools and processes.
Flight Research Laboratory
The TEES Flight Research Laboratory involves the following interdisciplinary research areas: Boundary-layer stability and transition to turbulence with continued emphasis on the control of laminar-turbulent transition and laminar-flow airfoils; Flight experiments in the area of flow control; Various environmental studies involving atmospheric measurements; Use research aircraft as the platform for multiplying the “reach” of both in situ and remote sensors.
Center for Mechanics of Composites
The mission of the TEES Center for Mechanics of Composites is to provide a knowledge base for the state and nation in the field of mechanics of composite materials by providing a synergistic environment for teaching, research, and service. Current research within the center focuses on a wide array of mechanics issues in composite materials, including micromechanics and structural mechanics of composites; homogenization methods for composites; inelasticity and damage in composites; nondestructive evaluation methods in composites; experimental solid mechanics; cohesive zones and interface phenomena; intermolecular potentials; fracture mechanics; transport phenomena; finite element methods for composites; error estimation in finite elements; and microelectromechanical systems.
Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel
The Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel is a self-contained research facility located near Texas A&M. It is a closed-circuit, single-return type tunnel, with a rectangular test section 10 feet wide and seven feet high and housed in a two-story building. The administrative building, tunnel and test section, external balance and drive motor all have independent foundations to reduce the transmission of vibrations among them. A wide variety of tests are conducted at the wind tunnel for industry, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and private individuals. Tests at the tunnel have dealt with, but are not limited to aircraft, space vehicles, ground vehicles, buildings and offshore structures. The wind tunnel can provide many different types of information during a test. It is used for both basic and applied airflow research and development and also provides instructional aid for students of various departments.
Center for Space Power
The mission of the Center for Space Power is to develop technologies with industry for NASA mission needs and space-power-related commercial ventures. CSP has developed a variety of space-power-related technologies applicable to both space and terrestrial commercial activities, including specialized heat pipes, advanced battery components, novel electronic materials, digital communications algorithms and power conditioners. CSP co-funds research and provides other technical and programmatic assistance to help its industry partners achieve commercial goals.
Spacecraft Technology Center
The STC helps industry transform ideas into space-engineered hardware and assists industry partners in using the International Space Station, NASA Space Shuttle or other orbital platforms as testbeds for engineering and validating advanced space technology. Created under a cooperative agreement with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the STC has low-cost access to external platforms on the ISS and the Space Shuttle. The STE is chartered by NASA to support industry’s development of commercial payloads for those platforms and supports development of commercial payloads involving other space platforms.
Texas Institute for Intelligent Bio-Nano Materials and Structures
NASA has chosen Texas A&M University to lead the Texas Institute of Intelligent Bio-Nano Materials and Structures for Aerospace Vehicles (TiiMS), bringing together some of the top researchers in Texas and the world - including a Nobel laureate and several members of the National Academies - in biotechnology, nanotechnology, biomaterials and aerospace engineering to develop the next generation of bio-nano materials and structures for aerospace vehicles.
