Houston Spaceport

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Texas A&M University Space Institute Director Nancy Currie-Gregg plants a flag for the new institute during a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

Texas A&M’s new Houston space institute to pave way for future moon, Mars exploration

Construction near NASA’s Johnson Space Center is expected to begin in January with a projected completion date of October 2026.

Kyle McClenagan | Posted onNovember 18, 2024, 4:50 PM (Last Updated: November 19, 2024, 12:31 PM)

Members of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents gathered in a grassy field near Houston last Friday for the groundbreaking of the university's new space institute.

The $200 million facility will be built near NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and will focus on training astronauts for potential future trips to the moon and Mars. The Texas A&M Space Institute was approved last year following the passage of House Bill 3447. The bill secured a $350 million investment, of which $200 million was allocated for the new facility.

Texas A&M regent Bill Mahomes spoke at the event and said the university was equipped for the task.

"Last year, I approved the creation of the Texas A&M University Space Institute to strengthen the role of Texas as a global leader in the new space economy," he said. "This faculty will be vital for partnerships — research and commercial, that will help Texas businesses as we and NASA stay at the forefront of this final frontier."

Mahomes said the facility will assist in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon. The program is named after the goddess Artemis who is the twin sister of the god Apollo in Greek Mythology. Apollo was also the name given to NASA’s first series of visits to the lunar surface.

"So, here is to hoping that Artemis can match or surpass her brother," Mahomes said. "In any event, at Texas A&M and the Texas A&M system, we are strapped in and ready to do our part."