Texas A&M University is building a new institute in Houston focused on aerospace: Called the Texas A&M Space Institute, it'll be constructed next to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, with a goal of ensuring that Texas remains a leader in space exploration.

Texas A&M's board of regents approved $200 million for the institute, following a $350 million investment from the Texas Legislature.

"The Texas A&M Space Institute will make sure the state expands its role as a leader in the new space economy," Texas A&M System chancellor John Sharp says in a news release. "No university is better equipped for aeronautics and space projects than Texas A&M."

Scientists and other personnel at the facility will support mission training, aeronautics research, advanced robotics, and work on lunar and Martian exploration.

The new institute would build on A&M's current expertise and resources, which include:

• Four astronaut faculty members
• Scientist and engineer participation in all NASA rover missions to Mars, with two scientists active on NASA's Perseverance Rover Team
• More than 280 faculty and investigators involved in space-related research
• Students, faculty, and researchers working on more than 300 space-related projects
• Interdisciplinary space-related research across more than 12 colleges/schools within the Texas A&M University System

For the past five years, Texas A&M has received more than $25 million per year in funding awards from NASA, other government agencies, and the commercial space industry.

Last summer, NASA and Texas A&M signed a Space Act Agreement to promote collaboration with the agency.

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This article originally ran on our sister site InnovationMap.