Wyle Laboratories Inc. has developed a strategic alliance with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to pursue business opportunities in the emerging commercial human spaceflight market.
The company’s Life Sciences Group, based in Houston, Tex., will pursue health services and training opportunities with University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) through Wyle’s new Commercial Human Spaceflight Services unit.
In addition to consulting services for commercial human spaceflight, Wyle provides medical screening and qualification, training, data and risk management, and mission and ground operations support to transportation providers and operators, spaceports and regulators including the FAA. “Together, Wyle and UTMB offer a comprehensive set of capabilities that no other service provider can match,” said Vernon McDonald, director of Wyle’s Commercial Human Spaceflight Services. “Wyle’s medical operations, training, and ground and flight support experience with NASA combined with UTMB’s expertise in aerospace flight medicine, the development of medical standards and requirements for space travelers, and the delivery of medical care for space travelers will be unrivaled in the industry.”
Recently UTMB physicians, under contract to Space Adventures, provided medical support for Greg Olsen, who paid $20 million to travel to the International Space Station in October 2005 aboard the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. UTMB physicians are continuing to provide similar services to future space station visitors.
“Working with Wyle will enhance our ability to provide services to our current customers, and expand our ability to pursue future business opportunities,” said Dr. Richard Jennings, UTMB program director of its Aerospace Residency Program and associate professor of clinical preventive medicine. Wyle’s Commercial Human Spaceflight Services unit is pursuing new business opportunities in the commercial human spaceflight market, including transportation providers and operators, developing spaceports and regulators including the FAA.
Wyle, with more than 3,000 employees at more than 30 facilities across the nation, is a leader in providing medical operations, engineering and life science support services for human space flight. The company also provides testing, research, aerospace support services, special test systems and other technical support services to the aerospace, defense, nuclear, communications and transportation industries.
