The University of Iowa has taken a significant step in advancing its status in space science by launching the Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory. This $7.2 million project aims to bolster the development of space flight instruments, positioning the university prominently on the national stage.
Located on the newly renovated seventh floor of Van Allen Hall, the lab provides a cutting-edge environment for faculty, students, and research staff. It is dedicated to the design, construction, and testing of hardware and instruments for upcoming space missions. The lab features advanced technology, such as a sophisticated machine for assembling aerospace printed circuit boards essential for supporting electronics on instruments and spacecraft. Additionally, it includes specialized vacuum chambers crucial for calibrating instruments that measure space radiation.
“It makes us very competitive in this space,” said Casey DeRoo, associate professor and director of research operations with the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “It also ultimately means savings to taxpayers because we can execute projects for lower costs than other institutions.”
This initiative follows the recent success of Iowa physicists with the TRACERS mission, which received $171.6 million in funding from NASA. TRACERS is focused on exploring the complex interactions between the sun’s and Earth’s magnetic fields. The mission, which took off in July 2025, is anticipated to begin sharing its first public findings in peer-reviewed studies by June, according to David Miles, the mission’s principal investigator and associate professor.
The Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory is part of the university’s physics service centers, making it accessible not only to the university community but also to external clients. “We have a huge capability to be able to design, build, test, and integrate the spacecraft instruments that we need for upcoming missions, all within Van Allen Hall,” stated Greg Howes, chairman of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
View the photo gallery by photographer Tim Schoon.
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