The U.S. Space Force has signed a memorandum of understanding to include the University of Southern California in its program for training students to become future guardians.
USC’s membership in the University Partnership Program provides over 49,000 graduates opportunities for research, scholarships and advanced academic degrees that are related to the military’s space missions, the Space Systems Command said Tuesday.
USC, now the 14th member of the collaboration program, spends nearly $900 million every year to finance research on topics such as computer science, engineering and health.
Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, SSC commander, explained in a signing event that the partnership will enable the Space Force to tap into a potential workforce that could provide the technical expertise and problem-solving skills needed for developing advanced space systems.
“Advanced research in space-applied topics and technologies is critical to national security, and this new University Partnership Program is another important way for the Space Force to connect with future Guardians – tomorrow’s leaders — and the world-class research conducted at USC,” added Guetlein.
Following the MOU signing, the Space Force and USC will proceed to define implementation milestones as part of their partnership.