All-Boilermaker Crew Set for ‘Purdue 1’ Space Mission
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University has its five-member all-Boilermaker crew for the “Purdue 1” space mission.
On Wednesday, the university officially introduced the crew, consisting of all Purdue alumni, set to participate in the upcoming suborbital spaceflight with Virgin Galactic:
Steven Collicot, Abigail Mizzi, Beth Moses, Florence Stahur, and Jason Williamson. Moses and Stahura were announced as the final two members during a press conference in the Herman and Heddy Kurz Atrium at Purdue’s Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering.
Arvind Raman, John A. Edwardson Dean of the College of Engineering at Purdue University, who oversees all engineering schools, including Aeronautics and Astronautics, called the mission “historic” and one that has not been attempted by any university in the world ever.
“This mission is going to inspire the next generation of students so they can dream that they can meet their destiny among the stars,” said Raman.
The Purdue 1 mission is expected to launch in 2027 and will focus on studying how fluids behave in microgravity, a research area that is seen as critical to advancing spaceflight design, fuel management and future long-duration space missions. Each crew member will conduct different experiments during the flight.
The university says it is the first university-chartered suborbital research flight of its kind.
“This pioneering all-Boilermaker team will demonstrate that the essential functions of a land-grant university — learning, discovery and engagement — can, in fact, be carried out in outer space,” Raman added. “With this flight, the crew is laying the groundwork for the next giant leap to space, on the moon and perhaps beyond.”
Moses is a veteran commercial astronaut and a Purdue aeronautics and astronautics alumna. She is a member of the Cradle of Astronauts and has been on six suborbital space flights since 2019.
“It feels somewhat surreal and incredibly humbling to be flying again,” said Moses, who graduated from Purdue with a master’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. “I am very proud to be a flown professional astronaut, but I’m even more proud to be a Purdue astronaut.”
Stahura is a 1992 graduate of the James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Department of Chemistry and a retired senior research scientist. She said she couldn’t pass up being a part of this “groundbreaking opportunity.”
“I knew I wanted to be part of it,” she said. “Being selected for this mission is incredibly exciting. I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to participate as a passenger on this spaceflight expedition and even more honored to be part of such an amazing crew. To contribute to Purdue’s first research mission of this kind is truly special — and I hope it’s just the beginning of many more to come.”
Mizzi is a 23-year-old graduate student. She said the team is excited to work together and learn more in a new and unique environment.
“This is a place that most of us, other than Beth, haven’t operated in and we haven’t done research in, so there’s lots of high stakes,” said Mizzi.
Collicott, a professor of aerospace engineering, doesn’t expect them to get 100% of the data they’re seeking, but they will still see just how much they can do.
“That will be excellent execution, to come back after this mission with five of us trying to do three different human-tended and two automated experiments in what’s pretty much a van,” Collicott said.
Williamson, a Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering alumnus, believes they have a responsibility to share their experience with as many people as possible.
“A lot of us are representing engineering or chemistry, but Purdue is bigger than that,” Williamson added.
Most of the seats aboard the spaceflight were purchased by the alumni passengers, while others were offered thanks to donations or through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program.
