Satellite research and development group NearSpace Launch Inc. (NSL) is looking to expand its size and abilities as they move their company to a new location in Upland.
NSL is a small company that works on development and delivery of devices into orbit, such as ThinSats, some of which Taylor students have been able to work on, FastBus Satellites and EyeStar Radios.
The company is very connected to the Upland area. Many members of the team either work as Taylor faculty or attended Taylor.
They have partnered with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and a number of college programs.
NSL is developing a program called NearSpace Education (NSE), with the goal of working with more middle school, high school and college students.
“We've done a lot of neat statewide STEM projects for the East Coast, so we hope to do that here in the Midwest, especially Indiana,” NSL's Chief Operating Officer Matt Voss said. “We worked with a lot of different schools. We partnered with Virginia Space and Twiggs SpaceLabs to deliver all those ThinSats and Taylor got to do one of those so we'd love to scale that to a lot of different universities.”
NSL worked with newly made real estate company TenBoom to buy a building in Upland. This allows them to move out of the residential office they worked in and into a new 8,500 square-foot building and expand their team and abilities.
NSL also received grant money which will allow them to simulate what their products will go through as they are launched into space.
In addition to floor space downstairs, there is room for housing upstairs which will provide a place for several interns to stay over the summer.
NSL can work with a variety of interns from computer science majors to some business interns and even hav a public relations spot.
The new building is close to the railroad bridge in Upland at 79 E. Railroad St. The opening ceremony is expected to happen in 2022.
