The Interplanetary 🚀

ASU’s Interplanetary Initiative unites academia, industry and government to launch space research projects with tangible real-world impact. Learn about the twelve pilot projects being funded this year and the progress they have made in the first quarter.

Quarterly progress report

THE LATEST

Space war = space money?

The ASU Preventing Space War forum earlier this year raised an important question: what role are commercial entities playing in the space domain and what happens if they get involved in a space war?

Read the experts' perspectives

Interplanetary momentum

The latest Interplanetary Transmission webinar featured progress updates from across the initiative from new learning programs to student-led spacecraft missions.

Watch the webinar

Space economy camp

Space offers a unique opportunity to imagine different futures. Economists are pioneering sustainable, non-exploitative economic models, but the challenge lies in how we elevate these ideas into the broader conversation so they can shape policy.

About the camp

From lab to orbit

The initiative hosted a workshop at the 2023 IAC addressing the challenges and opportunities for future research in Low Earth Orbit. Topics ranged from legal, design, testing, access and more with an eye toward next-generation commercial space stations.

Catch the key takeaways

FOR STUDENTS

Homecoming celebration

Experience a week of Sun Devil Spirit from Oct 22–28 for festive athletic events, activities and entertainment.

Forks up

Student researcher positions

The Spring 2024 undergraduate research call for applications opens Nov 1 and is open to all majors. Engage in interdisciplinary space research, gain mentoring and support your career growth and professional development.

Spring 2024 opportunities

IN OUR ORBIT

Register for the Space Settlement Summit happening Oct 27-28.
Did the Big Bang actually happen or is there another explanation for our universe? Tune in to Thinking Beyond on Oct 30 at 6pm to find out more.
Mark your calendars for Earth and Space Exploration Day. It will be held Nov 4 at ASU Tempe Campus inside/outside ISTB4. 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. MST.
In the Beginning Was the Word: The Place of Narrative in the Construction of Reality: Register here for A Conversation with Acclaimed Science Fiction Writer Ken Liu at ASU’s Marston Theatre on Nov 13 at 6:30 p.m. MST.
The Psyche spacecraft launched on Oct 13 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. You can follow its journey through space here.
NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative “How to Apply” section features Interplanetary Initiative’s Lab students!
NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy published a workshop report addressing the ethical, legal, and societal implications of the Artemis and Moon to Mars efforts.