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Research

Research

Excellence in research is the foundation of UTSI’s reputation.

Headquartered on the University of Tennessee’s Tullahoma campus, adjacent to the epicenter of US aerospace ground testing at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), UTSI is driving advances in aerospace and defense technologies and systems, and equipping graduates with expertise in related fields.

Student working in wind tunnel


Research professor working in lab

Benefits of Research at UT

  • Geographically positioned to play a strategic role in the innovation ecosystem anchored by the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL
  • Poised to meet the needs of the US Space Force, preparing a world-class workforce and advancing technologies and systems to protect US and allied interests in space.
  • Plays a pivotal role in the land-grant mission of the University of Tennessee by ensuring economic growth and workforce development opportunities for underserved communities in middle and east Tennessee.
Research facility equipment

Our Facilities

UTSI operates advanced facilities for the study of high speed flows, diagnostic methods, laser manufacturing, afterburning jet engine propulsion, and emerging space propulsion technologies.

  • Large vacuum chamber facility used for space environments testing among top 10 in the US.
  • Multiple supersonic wind tunnels including the new hypersonic Mach 7 tunnel and the Mach 4 wind tunnel in the TALON lab.
  • Low speed water and wind tunnels.
  • Biomedical research startup company, GCaDD LLC, developing super-thin glass components for dental and medical imaging.
  • 3-D printer using metal powders to make materials.
  • One of the fastest lasers ever built, capable of drilling 100 holes at the end of a human hair.

UTSI has over 80,000 square feet of laboratories featuring world-class facilities and instrumentation.

Observatory

On clear nights, the UTSI Observatory is able to host small “star-parties” with an external TV screen for viewing of images currently being taken, and set up a second 8″ Celestron SCT for visual views of bright objects. On clear days, a “live” view of the sun is streamed (updated every 15-30 minutes). View recent images in our gallery.

Explore our Observatory