As the world watches NASA’s Artemis 2 mission propel humanity back toward the Moon, a dedicated team of students from the Department of Astronautical Engineering ASTE-566 Class and the Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) is doing more than just observing—they are tuned in to the spacecraft’s very heartbeat. Chosen as one of approximately 40 teams…

The Optical Reef team at the Space Engineering Research Center recently presented at the International Astronomical Union’s 2026 Symposium: Advancing the Search for Technosignatures. Optical Reef is a multidisciplinary research endeavor aiming to bridge the gap between large, assembled space telescope apertures and the precision required to make viable observations in the visible spectrum. Optical…

Researchers from the Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) at the University of Southern California presented their latest work at the 2026 IEEE Aerospace Conference, held in Big Sky, Montana. The conference is a premier international venue that brings together experts from academia, industry, and government to discuss advances in aerospace science and engineering. Two SERC…

At the 2026 AIAA SciTech Forum in Orlando, Florida, the Space Engineering Center at the University of Southern California (USC) delivered a series of technical presentations showcasing cutting-edge research in space robotics, soft robotic actuation, sensing, artificial intelligence, and experimental validation. Research led by Griffin MacRae was featured in two separate presentations, both delivered by…

Nine SERC students presented six groundbreaking research papers at IAC 2024, showcasing USC’s pioneering work in space exploration.

On September 28, we cheered for Haley Topper as she accepted a job at Millennium Space Systems, celebrating her amazing journey at SERC!

SERC's first successful RPO engagement.

Prof Barnhart hosted over 26 professionals from Korea sponsored by the Korea Institute of Human Resources Development in Science and Technology (KIRD).

SERC Director Prof. Barnhart recognized the students and staff at a small dinner on campus on May 3rd.

Space-related applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning are often confined to the ground because moving AI onboard satellites, while promising, is significantly more difficult.