New Life for an Old Lab

The High Pressure Rocket Research Laboratory, in particular, was heavily involved in research supporting NASA’s Apollo program. Recently, grants from the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund have been used to renew the vitality of this valuable facility for research in areas such as combustion, propulsion, and fluid dynamics.

Dr. Steve Heister, Professor, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, observes that "the renovated lab has become a shared facility and helped break down barriers between different academic specialties-it has us working on bigger, more comprehensive projects together." He also points out the high caliber of the engineering graduate students at Zucrow, who have been instrumental in both the renovation of the facilities and conducting the research the lab attracts.

Even more important, the revitalized lab already become a revenue source for Purdue. Dr. Lynn Snyder, Director of Advanced Projects, Allison Advanced Development Company, was quick to see the potential for Allison to work together with Zucrow Labs. "Working alone, we didn’t have the capability to compete for major government propulsion contracts, but a team effort with Purdue’s Zucrow Labs gives us a place to do expert research."

Additionally, Zucrow Laboratories are rapidly being utilized as a national resource by NASA and private-sector rocket companies. Also, British-based Rolls-Royce, Allison’s parent company, has established at Purdue its first joint University Technology Center in the United States-joining a network of 19 other such centers in the United Kingdom and Europe. This promising start leaves little doubt of Zucrow Laboratories’ ability to help ensure the future health of high-technology business in Indiana and also provide an attractive research and employment opportunity to keep the best and brightest engineers in the state.