McNair Center

Aerospace is the second largest industry in the state, with over 500 aerospace-related companies calling South Carolina home. The McNair Aerospace Center's mission is to support this rapidly growing industry by offering aerospace education, research, outreach and economic engagement.

Named in honor of SC native and Challenger astronaut, the Ronald E. McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research was founded in 2011 with donations from Darla Moore, Anita Zucker and Marva Smalls.

The McNair Aerospace Center is dedicated to propelling the state's knowledge-based economy forward by means of groundbreaking research, interdisciplinary education, economic growth initiatives, outreach efforts, and close collaboration with aerospace industries, allied sectors, and relevant government agencies. Aligned with industry demands, the McNair Center spearheads research encompassing a diverse array of subjects including composites, thermoplastics, predictive analytics, combustion, 3D-printing, unmanned vehicles, and digital transformation. The McNair Center's accomplished research team comprises faculty members specializing in mechanical, chemical, civil, and electrical engineering disciplines.

The McNair Center research team includes faculty members specializing in mechanical, aerospace chemical, civil and electrical engineering disciplines.

Application Areas

The research activities conducted at the McNair Center have far-reaching applications that extend into various industries, each benefiting from the center's contributions to knowledge and innovation. In the aerospace sector, research conducted here leads to breakthroughs in aircraft design, propulsion systems, and space exploration technologies. The automotive industry benefits from advancements in supply chain optimization, digital twins, and autonomous vehicle technologies. The manufacturing field benefits from the center's work in process optimization, automation, and additive manufacturing techniques. In essence, the research activities at the McNair Aerospace Center serve as a catalyst for progress, impacting a wide range of industries and driving them forward into a more innovative and technologically advanced future.

Focus Areas

Innovative design of unconventional laminates with steered fibers
Automated production of unique structural composite components
Multidisciplinary optimization for composite (aircraft) structure design
Automated assembly using fusion-based techniques

Swift characterization tools for fuel analysis
Control and diagnostics of combustion processes
Energy conversion and propulsion systems advancement

Transformation of industries through digitalization
Rigorous component testing methodologies
Integration of augmented and virtual reality applications
Data analytics for informed decision-making

Navigation and control systems for aerial, ground, and marine unmanned vehicles
Aerial drone design and innovation
Integration of diverse sensors catering to specific applications.

Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.