Система Техасского университета A&M подала заявку на управление лабораторией реактивного движения NASA

Texas A&M bids to manage NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Texas A&M University System is putting in a bid for a contract to manage NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, one of the agency’s most famous research labs. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the world’s leader in robotic space exploration. Since 2019, JPL has partnered with Texas A&M, letting A&M students work on research at JPL and JPL researchers work with A&M. Now, A&M wants to take the partnership a step further. JPL is responsible for rovers on Mars, exploration of every planet in the solar system, and many of the satellites that help scientists understand the planet. Texas A&M has been growing its ties to space, including building the A&M Space Institute at Johnson Space Center. The system also has experience running large institutions. It already co-manages Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, which assembles and disassembles nuclear weapons. Chancellor Glenn Hegar said A&M’s experience in space, engineering and national security makes the system a strong contender for the job, as long as the Board of Regents signs off. Contract proposals were due to NASA on Monday, Aug. 24th. The Board of Regents has the option to take A&M’s pitch a step further by agreeing to build and lead a team to prepare a full proposal to manage and operate JPL. The board will have a series of meetings starting on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd and lasting until Friday, September 4th. The board has an agenda item to discuss the proposal which is set to happen during Thursday’s meeting. Copyright 2026 KBTX. All rights reserved.