A Gator, a Knight and an Eagle walked into a space center Wednesday to ink an official partnership deal with NASA.

As the founding members of the Florida University Space Research Consortium, the presidents of the University of Florida, University of Central Florida and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University were joined by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro for the official signing ceremony for a “memorandum of understanding” between the consortium and NASA.

The consortium acts as the state’s official space research entity to help with awarding NASA research grants in partnership with KSC.

“This symbiotic partnership makes way for collaborative research opportunities and increased exposure to advanced technology, significantly enhancing NASA’s research output in fields such as aerospace engineering, material science, robotics and environmental science,” Petro said in opening remarks from KSC’s Operational Support Building II.

“It really feels fitting that Kennedy Space Center is where we gather today as we launch this new chapter, entering into an agreement that has the potential to impact the posture of this center for years to come,” she said.

A recorded message from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson pointed out that similar university partnerships exist at NASA’s other space centers, although this is the first to involve multiple universities acting as one entity.

“What you are doing here is something that I have long wanted in Florida to happen,” Nelson said. “There ought to be a university presence at the space center. … I think it’s high time, all these years later, that the universities of Florida, both private and public, come together, as you have.”

He said the consortium approach will allow for researchers, faculties and students to achieve an extraordinary position to tackle space issues with a lot of opportunity for research, funding, internships, fellowships, teaching and learning,

“So today we take the talents of the Embry-Riddle Eagles, the UCF Knights and the Florida Gators, and we join them with the NASA wizards, and that’s exactly what NASA employees are. They are wizards because they make the impossible possible,” he said. “It’s a dream team, and the things that you all will accomplish won’t be dreams anymore.”

DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Jeanette Núñez had a hand in the creation of the consortium, which was spearheaded by Space Florida, the state’s aerospace finance and development authority. Núñez has been the chair of the Space Florida board of directors now for six years.

DeSantis outlined the economic engine already in place in the state with more than 150,000 employees among aviation and aerospace industries.

“So strengthening this and continuing to build momentum is something that’s very, very important to us,” he said. “We looked at it and said we have an opportunity to do something with our universities.”

He expects more interest from schools beyond UF, UCF and Embry-Riddle.

“I know each one of those institutions has really led the way in things that are very important to aerospace and aviation industries, but we’re very competitive with our universities, and when one does something, some others want to try to match,” he said. “So hopefully we’ll have more universities that will be brought to bear on this.”

Both DeSantis and Núñez touted the state’s No. 1 ranking by U.S. News & World Report for its university system.

“What we have and throughout our time in office is Florida universities, in terms of leading-edge technology, cultivating talent, something really important to our workforce, and that’s going to be pivotal to Florida’s future in the aerospace industry,” Núñez said. “So we’re eager to continue these efforts, and those institutions that are here today are going to work hand-in-hand with KSC to make sure that we continue to be number one.”

Interim UF President Kent Fuchs said UCF and Embry-Riddle are complementary to what UF brings to the table along with NASA.

“The mission for this consortium is very simple, and that is that we are going to lead the nation and the world in all areas of research associated with space sciences,” Fuchs said.

Embry-Riddle President Barry Butler echoed the unique collaboration the consortium represents.

“There are a lot of universities around the country that just battle one another, not just on athletic fields, but battle one another to be better than one another, and always at it,” he said. “At the end of the day, those folks here at NASA that work here, you come from all over. You come from a lot of different institutions. So our ability as presidents to show that we’re going to work together to advance it, is really important setting the stage for that as we move forward.”

UCF President Alexander Cartwright notes there’s room for growth, with UCF targeting a goal of reaching 25,000 students in engineering and technology, and that already 29% of the KSC workforce are UCF alumni.

“We know that together we can position Florida as a launch pad for human exploration and driving Florida’s space economy to new heights,” he said. “And so all of us at UCF look forward to being part of this as we continue to build on our legacy of research discovery and innovation.”