ISS U.S. National Laboratory logo by LucasFilm.
Aug 19, 2021
In February 2020, an external team completed its review of and recommendations for the operations and management of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, which the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) manages. In April 2020, after a thorough assessment of the team’s findings and recommendations, NASA concurred that a significant change was needed to ensure American citizens obtain the most from their investment in the International Space Station. To bring about the needed change, NASA identified six actions that the agency would take, in conjunction with CASIS, to bring the ISS National Lab into a new era.
International Space Station (ISS). Image Credit: NASA
NASA is pleased to report that the bulk of those actions have been completed successfully. NASA and CASIS are now in alignment better than ever and are prepared to lead new advances in space R&D and cutting-edge science on the International Space Station. The following is a list of the actions and a summary of the progress NASA and CASIS have made over the last year on each one:
1. Work with CASIS on the best roles and composition of the CASIS board of directors and leadership. Progress: The CASIS board of directors has a majority of new members, along with a new board chair, Dr. Elizabeth Cantwell. The current board composition is well-suited to manage the unique challenges and complexities associated with CASIS.
2. Support CASIS’ establishment of a User Advisory Committee to provide input to the organization about how best to manage resources. Progress: The new CASIS User Advisory Committee, along with five subcommittees, has been established, members and chairs for each subcommittee have been selected, and the committee’s first meeting was held on Feb 26, 2021.
3. Create transparent project and program evaluation and prioritization processes. Progress: Six new peer reviewed CASIS solicitations have been announced along with new project evaluation processes, based on NASA best practices. CASIS will continue to refine its payload prioritization process for better transparency.
4. Identify an ISS National Lab program executive at NASA Headquarters as the primary liaison to CASIS. Progress: Dr. Alex MacDonald, NASA chief economist and a member of the NASA Administrator’s Office, has been serving as the ISS National Lab program executive over this last year. This assignment demonstrated NASA’s commitment to implement the needed changes identified in the report.
5. Update strategic priorities for the ISS National Lab on an annual basis. Progress: NASA and CASIS jointly agreed to and documented new CASIS annual performance goals for 2021.
6. Work with CASIS to optimize the allocation of ISS National Lab resources to meet strategic priorities. Progress: New ISS National Lab programmatic goals and operating principles have been agreed to with the CASIS board and will be incorporated into an update to the CASIS Cooperative Agreement, which is in work.
“I am incredibly proud of the NASA and CASIS teams that worked hard over the last year to transform the ISS National Lab public service enterprise to ensure we deliver on the full research promise of the International Space Station for the nation. With new solicitations, new partnerships, and new experiments aboard our orbiting laboratory, we’re proving out the value of having a National Lab in space every day,” said Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations at NASA Headquarters.
“CASIS and NASA work diligently together to optimize the utility of the ISS National Lab as it continues to evolve into a 21st century space asset that drives future value in low Earth orbit. The incredible commitment shown by CASIS, NASA, and stakeholders over the past year demonstrates a collective mission to maximize sustained utilization of this one-of-a-kind space-based research facility,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cantwell, CASIS board of directors chair.
From the moment the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Authorization Act of 2005 bill was signed into law, the entire U.S. segment of the space station has been a designated a National Laboratory. In the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, Congress directed NASA to enter into a cooperative agreement with a not-for-profit entity to manage access to 50% of the ISS research resources, and in 2011 NASA entered into a 10-year cooperative agreement with CASIS for this purpose. In July 2017, NASA extended this cooperative agreement with CASIS to September 2024.
“The CASIS board and staff have really stepped up and provided important leadership during a challenging year and have laid a new foundation for the success of the ISS National Lab as a vital public service research institution. The continued commitment of the CASIS and ISS research office teams pursuing that goal amidst all the complexity and challenge of conducting cutting-edge space station research represents a true service to the nation, and it’s been an honor to serve in this role with them,” said MacDonald.
With the bulk of the actions successfully completed, NASA is transitioning the ISS National Lab program executive position to Robyn Gatens, the International Space Station Director at NASA Headquarters. Gatens has extensive familiarity with CASIS, including providing leadership for the new strategic direction in the management of the ISS National Lab.
“I personally, and our entire CASIS board, want to thank Alex for his contributions as the initial ISS National Lab Program executive,” said Cantwell. “We very much look forward to working alongside Robyn, whose experience makes her an ideal program executive as we work together to advance the incredible mission of the ISS National Lab.”
NASA is committed to management of the International Space Station as a resource for the American people in the benefits it returns to Earth and in the opportunities for the future as the agency is working to enable a robust low-Earth orbit economy.
Related links:
ISS National Lab program executive: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/nlab/news/nasa-announces-new-iss-national-lab-leadership/
ISS National Lab: https://www.issnationallab.org/
Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html
International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Carlyle Webb.
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