Morehead State University's SpaceTrek Program Partners with West Virginia University's Small Satellite Center

A group of students in a laboratory setting, arranged from front to back. They are identified as Tresor Fayida from STEAM Academy in Lexington, KY; Hayden Flickenger from Marshall County High School in Calvert City, KY; Ally Hall from Phillip A. Sharp Mid

Front to back in lab picture: Tresor Fayida, STEAM Academy Lexington, KY; Hayden Flickenger Marshall County High School, Calvert City, KY; Ally Hall, Phillip A. Sharp Middle School, Falmouth, KY; Melissa Hannemann, Lafayette High School, Lexington, KY; Re

Director of the Center for STEM+eXcellence at Morehead State University

Dr. David Martinelli, Director of the West Virginia Small Satellite Center and Professor in the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, poses for a photo. He is dressed professionally, with a confident expression. The background sugge

Dr. David Martinelli, Director of the West Virginia Small Satellite Center and Professor - Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Morehead State University announces the expansion of its renowned SpaceTrek program to the West Virginia Small Satellite Center at West Virginia University.

The partnership with WVU's Small Satellite Center has been instrumental in making this expansion a reality.”

— Jen Carter

MOREHEAD, KY, UNITED STATES, January 30, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Morehead State University (MSU) is excited to announce the expansion of its renowned SpaceTrek program to the West Virginia Small Satellite Center at West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown, West Virginia. This significant development has been made possible through a $3,980,996 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) program, facilitated by the strategic partnership between MSU and the West Virginia Small Satellite Center. The funding will help launch a second summer program for high school girls, building on the success of MSU's original SpaceTrek program in Morehead, Kentucky.

The collaboration and partnership between MSU and WVU's Small Satellite Center has played a pivotal role in securing this transformative grant. By combining the strengths of MSU's SpaceTrek program and WVU's advanced satellite facilities and expertise, this partnership demonstrates a unified commitment to advancing STEM education and workforce development in Appalachia.

A Partnership for Progress

The West Virginia Small Satellite Center at WVU brings a wealth of resources and innovation to the SpaceTrek program. This collaboration will:

• Provide a solid foundation for satellite design, development, testing capabilities, and ground station technologies.
• Broaden STEM education and hands-on aerospace training for students across the Appalachian region.
• Strengthen connections between academia and industry to foster economic growth and innovation.

"The partnership with WVU's Small Satellite Center has been instrumental in making this expansion a reality," said Jen Carter, Director of the Center for STEM+eXcellence at Morehead State University. "This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to empowering Appalachian communities through STEM education and workforce development."

The new program location at WVU will mirror the original SpaceTrek program's success, allowing those interested to participate in either West Virginia or Kentucky. The program offers educational experiences in satellite and ground station technologies, aerospace engineering, and space mission planning, all taught by faculty from both WVU and MSU and aerospace industry professionals from the West Virginia Small Satellite Center, the MSU Space Science Center, and TMC Technologies. SpaceTrek is supported by state partners, including Dataseam in Kentucky and the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative.

"There are tremendous workforce needs in our region, and SpaceTreK will be a transformative experience that increases awareness and accessibility of STEM fields to hundreds of students," said Dr. David Martinelli, Director of the West Virginia Small Satellite Center and Professor - Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "This expansion of SpaceTrek will have lasting impacts on the careers and lives of students in West Virginia, fostering a new generation of innovators and problem-solvers."

Economic and Educational Impact

The $3.98 million grant underscores the importance of investing in STEM education and regional workforce development to catalyze economic growth in Appalachia. By expanding SpaceTrek to the WVSSC at WVU, the program will:

• Provide specialized training to hundreds of students annually.
• Support workforce development initiatives that align with the growing demands of the aerospace industry.
• Build a pipeline of skilled professionals to serve regional and national employers.

For more information, please contact John Dahlia at (304) 276-3161 or by email at john.dahlia@tmctechnologies.com.

For more information about SpaceTrek and its expansion to West Virginia University, please visit www.moreheadstate.edu/spacetrek.

John Dahlia
TMC Technologies
+ +1 3042763161
John.dahlia@tmctechnologies.com
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