Bradley University will put a recent federal funding award toward completing its drop tower for weightlessness research.
The $1 million allocation will enable the university to install advanced equipment needed to make the Zaleski Drop Tower housed in the Business and Engineering Convergence Center fully operational.
Once complete, it will be the only facility in Illinois able to simulate short periods of weightless conditions necessary for research in space-related technology and physics.
“This investment represents a transformational step forward for Bradley and for the future of STEM research in Illinois,” Bradley President James Shadid said in a media release.
The innovative research tower is intended to act as a collaborative hub for researchers, including scientists affiliated with NASA, where they can conduct experiments to mirror the conditions experienced in space.
The facility will also offer educational outreach, through hands-on learning opportunities for K-12 students and teachers throughout the state.
“The research undertaken here and the STEM education benefits offered to local schools will help inspire the next generation of scientists to chase their dreams to the moon and beyond,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in the release.
With the tower infrastructure in place, the Zaleski family donated $50,000 in 2023 to establish an endowment fund to provide ongoing operational and maintenance costs.
“The Zaleski Drop Tower will position Bradley as a national leader in microgravity research and experiential STEM education,” said Kris Maillacheruvu, interim dean of the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology.
“This facility will provide our students and research partners with access to unique, hands-on experiences that are typically only available at a limited number of sites nationwide.”
