WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue University has announced the expansion of its 2027 Purdue 1 suborbital flight mission to include two autonomous research experiments focusing on quantum technology and in-space manufacturing. These experiments will be housed in research lockers aboard a Virgin Galactic spacecraft as part of an all-Boilermaker mission. The autonomous projects will fly alongside microgravity experiments conducted in real time by a five-person crew that includes Purdue researchers and alumni.
The in-space manufacturing experiment will test laser-assisted techniques for semiconductor and metal manufacturing, aiming to develop scalable methods suited for the constraints of space travel. Meanwhile, the quantum experiment will focus on laser-cooling rubidium atoms to near-absolute zero temperatures. This research is a primary step toward developing quantum positioning, navigation, and timing systems that could eventually reduce reliance on GPS for deep-space missions.
The Purdue 1 crew features Steven Collicott, a professor of aerospace engineering, and graduate student Abigail Mizzi, who will both monitor fluid behavior in zero gravity during the flight. Alumnus Jason Williamson will also join the mission, with two additional alumni participants to be named at a later date. The mission is designed to advance academic access to space while utilizing the next-generation customizable features of the Virgin Galactic spaceship.
