UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE) was awarded another five years of funding through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and NASA. In its 25th year as one of three such centers in the United States, VLRCOE received about $7.5 million to investigate 10 new tasks related to vertical lift technology and related educational activities over the next five years. Penn State will cost share $3.3 million for this work, totaling $10.8 million in new funding.
“The mission of the center is to understand and break through the barriers the vertical lift community faces, such as higher speeds, longer ranges and lower operating costs for vertical lift vehicles,” said Edward Smith, VLRCOE director and professor of aerospace engineering at Penn State. “Now, we have the good news of receiving another five years of support from major agencies. This funding helps us match the strengths and expertise of Penn State faculty and facilities with the questions and goals of vertical lift research.”
Launched in 1996, the VLRCOE has successfully competed for continued funding every five years. While the five-year cooperative agreement funding is not the sole funding source for the center, it is what allows the center to retain its national title, shared with the University of Maryland and Georgia Tech.