The members of the Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System on Wednesday approved the creation of the Texas A&M Space Institute and the construction a Texas A&M facility next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The board’s action follows a $350 million investment from the Texas Legislature. Earlier this year, State Rep. Greg Bonnen, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, authored House Bill 3447 to create the Texas Space Commission, the Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund and the Texas Aerospace Research and Space Economy Consortium.

The measure also allocates $200 million to Texas A&M for construction of the facility at the Johnson Space Center. The purpose of the resource in Houston is to ensure that Texas remains a leader in the field of space exploration. Scientists and other personnel at the facility will support mission training, aeronautics research, advanced robotics and work on lunar and Martian exploration.