Launching MultiPlanet University, Name Change, and Transition

After three years of discussions, we are transitioning to Multiplanet University(MPU).

After reaching out to many colleagues, advisors, and researchers over three years, a majority of colleagues are in favor of name transition.The new name is inspired from many factors, considering the team's effort applies to many planetary bodies, as James Webb Telescope (JWST) exponentially increases identification and characterization of exoplanets.

 The University can expand the knowledge and research to other planetary bodies. For example,  ISRU systems designed for Mars may be similar on Venus, Moon, and other planets, except Venus may not involve a lot of metal/surface systems with more carbon-polymer based materials. As Venus has more similar mass, gravity, climate in clouds to Earth, MPU has an emphasis on planetary sciences to advance research, exoplanets and habitable worlds.

“With MultiPlanet University, our research and education is more inclusive of systems and life on Earth, Venus, Moon, and nearby exoplanets, which could help overcome climate change too”,mentions Kole Lutz, CoFounder at MPU, who is getting reinvolved after name change. 

“Didn’t you feel like you are a part of something larger, bigger than just Mars?” mentioned Terry Trevino, Founder at Space4All and Magneto Space.  “It’s probably good to broaden the scope”, mentioned by Mr. Gary Martin, Former Advisor and NASA Executive for 25 years.

After coordinating and teaching Venus Science & Engineering (VSE311), a 9 week program last Summer 2023, the team with Guillermo, Cofounder at H2V, and Rhohith who is Director from Humans2Venus (H2V) helped to advise name transition. 

With several alumni in favor of new name, MPU was formerly Frontier Space, which was a research organisation incorporated in the Washington DC area and founded in by Kole Lutz while traveling in 2018.

Missions to Venus may be half the  time and cost in microgravity, compared to Mars with chemical rocket propulsion. It’s a greater responsibility that our multidisciplinary team is currently prepared to match. If a majority of humans off Earth would eventually live on other habitable exoplanets, MPU could help play more of an active role toward this shared vision.

MultiPlanet University will enable alumni, team, and researchers to better play an active role here on Earth, in orbit, and Artemis Program, while advancing life and human presence on nearby habitable worlds.