The UT System signed an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to advance research, workforce development and STEM engagement, according to a Jan. 9 news release.

The new Space Act Agreement between the UT System and NASA will work to support space exploration and national security, the news release said. Space Act agreements, a formal legal agreement signifying NASA’s partnership with an outside organization, are the most common type of NASA partnership.

The agreement is classified as a nonreimbursable agreement, meaning NASA will help the UT system further their goals regarding space research, without funding any projects. 

“It’s an exciting time for the UT System and NASA to come together in new ways because Texas is at the epicenter of America’s space future,” said UT System Chancellor John Zerwas in the news release. “It’s an area where America is dominant, and we are committed as a university system to maintaining and growing that dominance.”

While the new agreement connects the larger UT System, it will utilize two UT Austin institutions: the Center for Space Research and the Texas Advanced Computing Center. The Texas Advanced Computing Center was not immediately available to respond to the Texan’s request for comment.

Lori Magruder, the director of the Center for Space Research, wrote in an email that the new space agreement will allow for “innovation on a faster timeline.” Magruder wrote that this partnership creates a “world class opportunity” for space-related research. She wrote that the arrangement will help foster new research and provide more opportunities to students and staff across the UT System.

“The agreement will create a pathway for student internships and visiting faculty engagements,” Magruder wrote.

This agreement furthers the University’s investment in space research. The Texas Space Commission, created by the Texas Legislature in 2023, gave the University a $9.3 million grant to develop a “Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications, and Processing lab,” according to a December 2025 news release. This lab’s focus is “fostering economic growth, orbital safety, and strategic autonomy for both Texas and the nation.”

Texas is at the center of many different industries “converging like never before,” Zerwas said in the release.

“UT institutions are uniquely positioned to partner with NASA in building a stronger and safer Texas,” Zerwas said.