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September 28, 2007
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Aerospace program upgrades student experiences with donated technology
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Jeff Forrest, AES department chair |
A recent donation of $1.5 million in aviation software will go a long way in preparing aerospace science students at Metropolitan State College of Denver to work in Colorado’s aerospace industry, the second-largest space economy in the nation.
Donated to the Aviation and Aerospace Science (AES) department by the Pennsylvania company AGI, Inc., the software will catapult Metro State’s AES students into the industry with a foundation of knowledge that those already working in space technology have, says Jeff Forrest, AES department chair.
The donation to Metro State is for 22 educational licenses of STK, AGI's suite of advanced analytical and visualization software. AGI develops commercial off-the-shelf analysis software for land, sea, air, and space that is relied upon by national security and space communities in more than 32,000 worldwide installations.
“The software is one of the most robust and technologically sophisticated simulation suites offered commercially to industry,” Forrest said. “It is designed to allow space scientists and systems managers to simulate various space missions. [With the software] one can experiment with orbital maneuvers, interplanetary travel and other tasks, such as station keeping an orbital satellite as used for weather or communications.”
The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation lists Colorado’s aerospace industry as the country’s second largest space economy. Colorado is home to four military commands, six major space contractors and 300 aerospace companies and suppliers. In total, the industry has 55,850 workers, including 26,650 private employees and 29,200 military personnel.
