The Rochester Institute of Technology is receiving nearly $10 million in funding to lead research for the U.S. Space Force around advanced space power and propulsion.

It's being done in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory and work on technology for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The hope is to develop cheaper materials to withstand the harsh conditions as the commercialization of space continues.

“We’re trying to look at innovative new materials,” Seth Hubbard, professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy and director of the SSTI research center, said in a statement. “It’s very important to find materials that are scalable, manufacturable, but can also withstand the extreme environments in space.”

The University of Michigan is also assisting as a lead institution in the research.