For more than 30 years, Texas A&M’s cyclotron institute has been testing electronics for how it stands up to radiation.
A $28 million dollar expansion requested by the institute’s director and recommended by A&M’s interim president was approved at February’s board of regents meeting.
An A&M system document says the cyclotron is the world’s leading provider of testing the radiation resilience of space electronics.
Institute director Sherry Yennello, who shared with the regents building committee the 60 year history of the cyclotron, said it is used by A&M researchers, the military, and private sector companies that includes Space X and Texas Instruments.
Two state grants covers most of the cost of the expansion, which is in the design phase.
$13 million is coming from the governor’s semiconductor fund and $10 million is from the Texas Space Commission.
Click below to hear comments from the February 5, 2026 meeting of the Texas A&M board of regents building committee.