Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology's Participation in the AeroLabs Science Consortium Extends Team's Leadership in the Field
Image by Edward Brennen
Leaders from UMass Lowell and Space Centre Australia on Wednesday signed a new AeroLabs Science Consortium Agreement to innovate airborne science, low-Earth orbit research and horizontal-launch innovation. Shown, from left, are Physics Professor Supriya Chakrabarti, who directs the Lowell Center for Space Science Technology at UMass Lowell; UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen; Scott Morrison, former prime minister of Australia, who now serves as Space Centre Australia’s advisory chairman; and Space Centre Australia President and Chief Executive Officer James Palmer.
10/22/2025
Contacts: David Joyner, executive director of communications and digital media, David_Joyner@uml.edu; Nancy Cicco, associate director of media relations, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu; and Space Centre Australia LLC, Communications Office
LOWELL, Massachusetts – The Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology (LOCSST) at UMass Lowell and Space Centre Australia LLC today formalized a landmark AeroLabs Science Consortium Agreement, marking a major milestone in global collaboration for airborne science, low-Earth orbit (LEO) research and horizontal-launch innovation.
The signing ceremony, held at the UMass Lowell, establishes a new international framework for universities and research institutions to collaborate in cutting-edge aerospace research and education. The agreement launches a multi-institutional science consortium built around a dedicated C-130J-30 Super Hercules Research Aircraft, operated exclusively by Space Centre Australia LLC from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Under the five-year agreement, the aircraft designated SCA01 will serve as a National-Class Airborne Science and Horizontal Launch Platform, supporting multidisciplinary missions in environmental monitoring, atmospheric science, LEO technology validation, and sub-orbital flight experimentation.
James Palmer, president and chief executive officer of Space Centre Australia LLC, said, “Today’s signing represents a pivotal step toward a truly global airborne research capability. The AeroLabs Consortium connects academia, government and industry in a shared mission to advance science and education while enabling new pathways for space and environmental innovation. It’s a partnership that lifts both nations and the next generation of scientists into a new era of collaboration.”
Scott Morrison, advisory chairman of Space Centre Australia, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to work with the UMass Lowell-led space science consortium and working to finalize our contractual arrangements over the balance of 2026 to enable this important scientific research to get underway in the new year and ensure that the U.S. continues to lead the world in the space domain.”
UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen said, "The partnership we’re entering today with Space Centre Australia and the AeroLabs Consortium holds tremendous potential for our students and faculty as they advance the cutting-edge work already happening at the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology. We’re grateful for the opportunity to literally expand horizons in space science and environmental research by taking advantage of this collaboration and this unique platform.”
Expanding Global Academic Collaboration
The AeroLabs Science Consortium has been purpose-built as an open, expandable framework that allows additional universities and research institutions to join as participants through a structured membership process. This model ensures equitable access to the platform’s resources, including aircraft mission hours, collaborative project funding and shared data initiatives.
The agreement provides a foundation for NASA-aligned missions, STEM engagement and advanced technology testing under a unified governance structure that encourages transparency, cost-sharing and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Strengthening Trans-Pacific Research and Education
AeroLabs forms part of Space Centre Australia’s broader strategy to establish a trans-Pacific science corridor, linking research and innovation efforts between NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and the company’s Australian operations at Atakani Space Centre in Cape York, Queensland.
This partnership strengthens bilateral research capacity, creates training opportunities for students and early-career researchers and positions both Australia and the United States at the forefront of aerospace, environmental, and near-space research.
About Space Centre Australia LLC
Space Centre Australia LLC is a U.S.-based sister company to Space Centre Australia Pty Ltd, developing advanced aerospace infrastructure and research capabilities across the United States and Australia. Headquartered at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, the company operates the AeroLabs Airborne Science Platform and the Karman Line horizontal-launch program, supporting research and innovation across Earth, near-space, and cislunar environments.
About UMass LoCCST
The University of Massachusetts Lowell, through its Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology (LoCCST), is a leading U.S. research institution advancing innovation in space science, atmospheric studies and aerospace systems. LoCCST conducts cutting-edge research in astrophysics, satellite technology and atmospheric physics in partnership with NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and international collaborators.
An example of an academic-industry partnership led by LoCCST is the Massachusetts Alliance fpr Space Technology and Sciences (MASTS), a consortium of universities, colleges and corporations focused on developing space technology while training a workforce for the space industry. Supported by a nearly $5.5 million grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, that partnership is among those activated by the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC), a UMass Lowell initiative with the City of Lowell centered on the engagement of companies and nonprofits co-located on UMass Lowell’s campus.
LoCCST’s participation in the AeroLabs Science Consortium extends its leadership by providing students and researchers hands-on access to flight missions and payload development, strengthening global academic partnerships from the atmosphere to low-Earth orbit and beyond.