Long-standing and important research is conducted in the Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center. One of only three such centers in the country, the center conducts leading-edge research in rotorcraft aerodynamics, dynamics, acoustics, structures and flight mechanics. The center includes unique experimental facilities such as two fully-instrumented rotor rigs, a hover tower and a 10-foot vacuum chamber are funded by the Army and by an industry consortium.
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Aerospace Engineering faculty, researchers, and students leverage state-of-the-art research equipment, technology, and systems to develop new methods, create innovative tools, and find practical solutions to the most pressing societal concerns.
Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center
Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel
The Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel is a state-of-the-art low speed wind tunnel that has been actively involved in aerodynamic research and development since 1949. Through more than 2200 tests, the GLMWT has helped collect data on a wide variety of aerodynamics challenges. From airplanes to automobiles and bobsleds to building structures, we have a wide-range of experience addressing diverse aerodynamic designs.
Space Systems Laboratory
A leader in the area of astronautics, the Space Systems Laboratory is centered around a 50-foot diameter, 25-foot deep water tank that is used to simulate the micro-gravity environment of space. The only facility of its size housed on a university campus, Maryland's neutral buoyancy tank is available for undergraduate and graduate research opportunities. Research in Space Systems emphasizes space robotics, human factors, applications of artificial intelligence and the underlying fundamentals of space simulation.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site
The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site at the University of Maryland stands at the forefront of UAS rulemaking, commercialization, and national airspace integration. Formed in 2014, test site experts leverage their approximately 150 years of combined experience in military and civilian aviation, engineering, and project management to accelerate the safe, responsible application of UAS in public and private industries.
Education
Aerospace Engineering fosters quality learning with facilities that enable students to better engage with aerospace engineering practices and principles. Faculty and instructors also leverage numerous Clark School and University of Maryland education facilities, including the Edward St. John Teaching and Learning Center.
Fearless Flight Facility
The Fearless Flight Facility is the only university outdoor flight laboratory for testing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. The 100-foot wide, 300-foot long, and 50-foot high facility serves as a critical nexus between the Clark School of Engineering’s College Park labs and UMD’s UAS Test Site in Maryland’s St. Mary’s County.
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