NASA´s university engineering programs

While NASA has supported engineering research at universities for many years, much of it has been along prescribed paths of investigation. The author describes how the objective of a newly emerging element of the university engineering programs is to provide a more autonomous element that will enhance and broaden the capabilities in academia, enabling them to participate more effectively in the US civil space program. These programs are an integral part of national policy and the strategy to rebuild the United States space research and technology base; they propose to remedy the decline in qualified space engineers by making long-term commitments to universities aspiring to play a strong engineering role in the civil space program. These programs utilize technical monitors at NASA centers to foster collaborative arrangements, exchange of personnel, and the sharing of facilities between NASA and the universities