CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson University is now one of 13 universities across the country who have become an official member of the US Space Force's University Partnership Program (UPP). A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Clemson President Jim Clements and Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David D. Thompson on Monday, July 18, 2022. The UPP was established by the US Space Force (USSF) to "identify, develop and retain a diverse, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)-capable workforce to further its mission to protect U.S. and allied interests in space."
The US Space Force is the sixth and newest branch of the US Armed Forces, established on December 20, 2019, under the Department of the Air Force. Currently, there are approximately 8,400 military personnel serving in the USSF operating 77 spacecraft.
UPP establishes opportunities for research, advanced academic degrees, scholarships, internships, mentorship opportunities, and recruitment for enlisted and civilian positions with the Space Force.
Universities are chosen for UPP participation based on four criteria:
- the quality of STEM degree offerings and space-related research laboratories and initiatives
- a robust ROTC program
- diverse student population
- degrees and programming designed to support military, veterans and their families in pursing higher education.
Other schools to join the UPP include University of North Dakota, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Texas at Austin/System, University of Texas at El Paso, Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Purdue University, University of Colorado Boulder/System, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Arizona State University, and University of Southern California.
Clemson began a partnership with the US Army in December 2020 to develop the next generation of autonomous vehicles. That $18 million program is developing virtual prototyping tools to support the rapid transformation of US Army fleets of off-road vehicles.