Center for the Advancement of Science in Space

Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
Name	Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
Abbreviation	CASIS
Formation	2011
Headquarters	Jacksonville, Florida
Leader title	Chief Executive Officer

Center for the Advancement of Science in Space is a nonprofit organization designated to manage the United States National Laboratory located aboard the International Space Station United States National Laboratory. It operates at the nexus of spacecraft operations, biomedical research, pharmaceutical development, materials science, and technology commercialization involving partners from NASA, SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin, and academic institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University.

History

CASIS was established in 2011 following designation actions involving United States Congress, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and policy decisions influenced by stakeholders including Commercial Crew Program, International Space Station Program, and representatives from Office of Management and Budget. Early operational milestones aligned with agreements negotiated among Space Studies Board, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and commercial entities like Orbital Sciences Corporation and Sierra Nevada Corporation. CASIS activities intersected with initiatives from White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and partnerships with research leaders such as American Society for Gravitational and Space Research and institutions participating in programs related to National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.

Mission and Objectives

The organization's mission emphasizes enabling microgravity research to benefit life on Earth by supporting projects in biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, materials science, and technology demonstrations with collaborators including Pfizer, Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, and academic centers like University of California, Berkeley and Harvard University. CASIS objectives include facilitating access to the International Space Station, promoting commercialization pathways via partnerships with Commercial Resupply Services providers, and advancing translational research supported by agencies such as National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense programs that coordinate with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiatives.

Organizational Structure and Governance

CASIS governance comprises a Board of Directors drawn from leaders with backgrounds at organizations such as Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and nonprofit sectors including The Nature Conservancy and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Executive leadership interacts with program managers experienced at NASA Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, and corporate science divisions like Dow Chemical Company and 3M. Compliance and oversight involve reporting mechanisms related to United States Congress appropriations, audits akin to Government Accountability Office reviews, and coordination with legal frameworks influenced by Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions and policies from Office of Inspector General.

Research Programs and Facilities

CASIS administers research platforms aboard the International Space Station National Laboratory, enabling investigations using facilities such as the Microgravity Science Glovebox, Cold Atom Laboratory, and the European Space Agency-provided Columbus module in collaboration with teams from California Institute of Technology, University of Colorado Boulder, and Pennsylvania State University. Research programs span protein crystallization projects with biopharmaceutical partners like Amgen and structural biology groups from Scripps Research Institute, materials processing experiments with industrial partners such as BASF, and technology demonstrations partnering with companies including Microsoft and Intel. CASIS-sponsored payloads have utilized launch services from SpaceX Falcon 9, Northrop Grumman Cygnus, and Rocket Lab to transport experiments to the ISS.

Partnerships and Collaborations

CASIS maintains partnerships across sectors, collaborating with federal agencies like NASA, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and international players such as European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Corporate collaborations include alliances with Boeing, SpaceX, Merck & Co., Thermo Fisher Scientific, and academic consortia from University of Florida, University of Michigan, and Yale University. Nonprofit and philanthropic interactions involve organizations like The Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome Trust, while venture and investment linkages connect CASIS to entities in Silicon Valley and accelerator programs resembling those at MassChallenge.

Notable Projects and Achievements

Notable CASIS-enabled projects include commercial protein crystallization studies that influenced therapies pursued by Amgen and Novartis, stem cell differentiation research with groups from Scripps Research Institute and University of California, San Francisco, and materials science advancements with partners such as Dow Chemical Company that informed manufacturing processes used by Caterpillar Inc. and General Motors. Technology demonstration payloads included collaborations with Made In Space for additive manufacturing tests and with Intuitive Surgical-affiliated researchers exploring robotics and teleoperation. CASIS achievements also encompass education outreach programs partnering with Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum, and K–12 initiatives coordinated with FIRST Robotics Competition and university outreach at Florida State University.

Funding and Budget

CASIS funding derives from agreements with NASA under cooperative agreements, contractual revenue from commercial partners including SpaceX and Boeing, philanthropic grants from organizations like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and project-specific sponsorships from pharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer and Merck & Co.. Budgetary oversight reflects interactions with United States Congress appropriations processes, audits similar to those by Government Accountability Office, and financial reporting aligned with nonprofit standards used by entities such as United Way Worldwide and American Red Cross.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States