Engineering Design and Space Sciences Laboratory

The Engineering Design and Space Sciences (EDSS) Laboratory is used by students to work on design projects and conduct research in physics, engineering, and astronomy. The current focus of students in this lab involves undergraduate students working on the design and construction of a small vehicle that meets design constraints set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The SAE Baja competition requires collegiate teams to design and construct a lightweight off-road vehicle from the ground up over the course of two semesters.

The EDSS lab supports research and design projects such as the Near Space Projects which involves large high-altitude weather balloons that carry scientific payloads to the edge of space. Students have also used the lab to design and 3D print artificial limbs such as hands with fingers that are moved by servo motors.

The EDSS lab supports research in astronomy via the SFA Observatory, SFA Planetarium, and Skynet Robotic Telescope Network. Students have been involved in the discovery of minor planets as well as observations of exoplanets, supernovae, and eclipsing binary stars.

The AASS research laboratory is located on the third floor of the STEM Building at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Areas of Study

  • SAE Baja Vehicle
  • Minor Planet Discoveries and Observations
  • Near Space Projects
  • Computer Modeling and Software Development
  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  • Engineering Design Projects
  • 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
  • Circuit Design and Construction
  • Exoplanet Observations
  • Eclipsing Binary Stars

Additional Information

SFA Observatory
PDF Star Charts