W. Jud Ready, Ph.D., a longtime leader in space-related research at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) for more than two decades, has been appointed as the inaugural executive director of Georgia Tech’s newly established Space Research Institute (SRI). With his extensive background in engineered materials and proven track record in managing groundbreaking research projects, Georgia Tech’s space innovation leadership is ready to “blast off."

SRI will become the center of all things space-related at the Institute. It will work in partnership with academics, business partners, philanthropists, students, and governments.

Ready says the role of SRI is “to amplify the space-based research environment that we have had for decades at Georgia Tech by providing dedicated facility, communications, collaboration, and financial resources, as well as assistance on large-scale proposals.”

The existence of SRI is directly tied to one of Georgia Tech’s “Big Bets,” outlined in the Institute’s current Strategic Plan: “Double the Scale and Amplify the Impact of Our Research Enterprise.”

GTRI to Play a Prominent Role With SRI

“GTRI has an unfair advantage in so many areas: we've got great capabilities, great people, great equipment, great connections across the United States as well as the globe,” said Ready. “To be able to take curiosity-driven fundamental research and turn it into a widget, whether that widget is a radar or a spacecraft or whatever it may be, GTRI is good at that.”

“We're not a commercial entity, so we're not trying to make thousands, hundreds, or even dozens of a device or a system. We're very good at one-off prototypes, and that's what space research is. We're not trying to build a constellation of 1,000s of ‘Starlink’ satellites. We are trying to create sensors, systems, spacecraft, constellations -- whatever it takes – to solve problems, whether they're national security problems, scientific problems, economic problems, communication problems -- there are many uses for spacecraft.”

Ready’s vision for SRI emphasizes leveraging and enhancing the robust infrastructure already in place at GT and GTRI, including C-SHAFT (Center for Space Hardware Assembly, Fabrication and Testing). As he articulated during his vision presentation, before being named to the executive director role, he views GTRI facilities such as thermal vacuum chambers and ground station networks as strategic assets that provide Georgia Tech with a significant competitive edge in space research and exploration.

Ready’s leadership will emphasize bridging the robust academic and research elements within Georgia Tech to include all Colleges and GTRI. By strengthening the collaborative relationship among all arms of the Institute, Ready seeks to enhance Georgia Tech’s institutional capacity for securing competitive federal, industry and philanthropic funding. He plans to strategically use GTRI’s contract vehicles, such as its University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) agreements, to streamline funding processes, thereby advancing GTRI’s and Georgia Tech’s collective research enterprise.

Under Ready’s direction, educational and outreach initiatives will also expand significantly. Ready says he intends to draw on previous Georgia Tech successes, such as the Symposium on Space Innovations and championing “K through gray” educational programs. He intends to integrate educational activities that involve both academic and research personnel from across Georgia Tech and GTRI. These efforts aim to support the existing cadre of space engineering professionals, as well as cultivate a new generation of engineers and scientists equipped with the skills and experiences necessary for leadership in space technology.

Q&A with Jud Ready, SRI Executive Director

Q: What are your initial, big priorities for SRI?

Ready: We're looking for partnerships internally at Georgia Tech, within GTRI, in Georgia, and externally. Whether governmental, philanthropic, or industrial sponsorships, that's what we're seeking. We want SRI to help faculty, students, small businesses, major corporations, and the USA in general succeed in space.

Q: How soon and how aggressively will you pursue funding and sponsorships?

Ready: "Immediately. We've already got proposals pending. We'll continue pursuing federal funding, corporate funding, and philanthropic efforts. Space access has become much cheaper, opening new funding avenues."

Q: Will SRI take over existing projects such as Lunar Flashlight (a CubeSat integrated and tested by GTRI and operated by Georgia Tech) or MISSE (a NASA mission series in which GTRI is heavily involved)?

Ready: "No, SRI won’t take over someone's research projects. SRI will not be a principal investigator. It enables individual principal investigators, providing necessary resources, whether they're at GTRI, GT, or industry."

Q: Does SRI have a physical space, lab space, cleanrooms, etc.?

Ready: "The administrative offices are in the Coda building. But the resources we have at Georgia Tech and GTRI aren't moving. We have cleanrooms and testing facilities at Baker and Cobb County, antennas for communication, and eventually, we'll have a new building near Coca-Cola Tower.”

Q: Given the long-term nature of space research, do you have a short-term plan for SRI?

Ready: "I've certainly got a 90-day plan. We'll have something going on every month this fall. We’ll release an RFP for our CPI (centers, programs, initiatives) process around Labor Day. The LSIC fall meeting is at Georgia Tech on November 5-6. We're also organizing a networking event and a star-watching party for homecoming in October."

Q: Will you maintain your existing appointments at Georgia Tech and GTRI?

Ready: "Yes, I'm still 50/50. Technically, 49% SRI and 51% GTRI, so I didn't have to reorganize my reporting chain. I’ve dialed back my teaching a notch and only plan to teach my Material Science and Engineering of Sports class (MSE3300) next spring, but I will also be teaching my Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) class in the fall. And, of course, advising several graduate students along the way."

Q: Is there more to Jud Ready than just space research?

Ready: "I haven’t stopped thinking about space since Skylab. But yes, I like things more than space. I'm also a scout leader. I enjoy camping, fishing, sailing, and sports, especially, even though, historically, I’ve been exceptionally mediocre at them."

Georgia Tech’s 11 IRIs support collaboration between researchers and students across the Institute’s seven colleges, the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), national laboratories, and corporate entities to tackle critical topics of strategic significance for the Institute as well as for local, state, national, and international communities.