USC’s Space Engineering Research Center open house’s mission: Connect with local industry

8 hours ago

Undergraduates Emma Moreno and Isabella Pier demonstrate self-healing segmented robotic systems, so-called robotic Legos, in their lab in USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, during an industry open house, featuring live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Howard Hall shows off his research in the Optical Reef segmented space telescope technology at USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, during an industry open house, featuring live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Graduate student Trevor Gross gives a tour of his lab in USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, during an industry open house, featuring live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Brian Burke shows off the student-developed Maveric satellite at USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, during an industry open house, featuring live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

Aliza Hameed shows off her work on Optical Reef segmented space telescope technology at USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, during an industry open house, featuring live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

David Barnhart, Research Professor, USC Viterbi Department of Astronautical Engineering and director of USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, helps host its first industry open house, featuring laboratory tours, live demonstrations of student-built space technologies and presentations on research in space robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence and autonomous spacecraft in Marina Del Rey on Wednesday July 15, 2026. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)

1 of 18

The former Prince Andrew went from helicopter pilot to trade envoy to royal pariah

Expand

For USC’s Space Engineering Research Center, the sky is clearly the limit. Well, even past the sky, really.

The center, located in Marina del Rey, hosted its first industry open house on Wednesday, showing off the next generation of space technology and some of the brilliant folks who will make it happen.

The event featured a full day of workshops, demonstrations, student showcases, operational models and mockups and behind-the-scenes access inside the cutting-edge program.

Attendees got a chance to chat with students, faculty, researchers, engineers and aerospace industry partners.

Guided tours were presented of more than a dozen active research labs

Among the high-tech topics tackled: Robotics, satellite systems, artificial intelligence, space cybersecurity, orbital operations and more.

The goal of the event, according to its organizers: Connect Southern California industry with the kind innovation taking place at universities today.