CITIZEN STAFF REPORT

MOREHEAD — Morehead State University’s Space Science Center will receive a $7.54 million federal Community Project Funding earmark secured by U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) to expand payload operations for government and commercial space stations.

The funding will support aerospace education and engineering opportunities for students through partnerships with NASA and private space science companies, allowing the university to broaden its mission operations capabilities.

Rogers said the investment builds on decades of work at MSU and reflects the university’s growing role in national aerospace efforts.

“MSU launched this flagship mission more than 20 years ago, and today, students are working firsthand with the nation’s leaders in aerospace technology for American space missions,” Rogers said in a news release. “I’m incredibly proud of our students and the innovative opportunities they have right here at home in the mountains.”

NASA recently selected MSU to track the Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch in March. Artemis II will be the first human lunar mission in 50 years. Officials say it will carry astronauts farther from Earth than any previous mission.

University leaders said the new federal investment will help ensure MSU remains positioned to support missions of that scale while expanding hands-on opportunities for students.

“At Morehead State University, we are incredibly proud to lead the way for space exploration and aerospace engineering,” said MSU President Dr. Jay Morgan. “Thanks to Congressman Rogers’ continued support and success in securing federal funds for student programs, we are now expanding capabilities and opportunities in our state-of-the-art Space Science Center.”

Rogers previously secured a $10 million earmark in 2024 to upgrade the university’s two space tracking stations to support future government-funded and commercial space programs. That same year, NASA leadership praised MSU students and faculty for helping save a public-private lunar mission after communications failed with the Odysseus Lander, known as “Odie.”

Center officials said the latest round of funding builds directly on those earlier upgrades and will further strengthen MSU’s mission operations capacity moving forward.

“This additional federal funding provides a significant gateway for our students to be an integral part of future historic space missions,” said Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, executive director of the MSU Space Science Center. “With Congressman Rogers’ new support, MSU will be advancing our payload operations capabilities.”