As Jeff Bezos blasted off into space on Tuesday, July 27, Associate Professor Paul Slaboch was thinking about what this flight meant to his students.
"It's igniting a spark in kids who want to be astronauts and aerospace engineers," Slaboch told WFSB-TV. "We're excited about our new Aerospace Engineering program and to help propel that mission forward to educate these students as they become interested in space."
Slaboch spoke with four television stations about the billionaire space race, and how there hasn't been this much interest in space since the shuttle was retired a decade ago.
Associate Professor Paul Slaboch, Aerospace Engineering Program DirectorStudents coming into our Aerospace Engineering program are excited to learn how they can be a part of these operations and everything that is coming up in the space industry.
Future of Space Travel
Slaboch also addressed the criticism of Bezos that he should put his fortune to better use than traveling to space.
"There is a larger value," Slaboch told WFSB. "We all share the same earth. When you look down from those heights, you realize we are all on the same planet. More people experiencing that first-hand is important."
Slaboch points out that this space competition could bring costs down and lead to a more permanent presence in space.
Civilians in Space
Slaboch returned to NBC Connecticut in September to discuss how Elon Musk's SpaceX initiative is influencing the reality of civilian space travel. Watch the interview here.
Aerospace Engineering at UHart
The only program of its kind in Connecticut, UHart's new aerospace engineering undergraduate program offers students the opportunity to learn technical concepts relevant to aerospace engineering and design, utilizing the current equipment and facilities in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Acoustical Engineering.