ISSRDC Day 3 is About to Begin: Explore Highlights from Day 2

The 2024 International Space Station Research and Development Conference(Abbreviation: ISSRDC) The only conference dedicated exclusively to showcasing how the International Space Station is advancing science and technology and enabling a robust and sustainable market in LEO. This annual conference brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the space station. ISSRDC is hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, manager of the ISS National Lab; NASA; and the American Astronautical Society. (ISSRDC) was in full swing yesterday. Enlightening sessions covered topics ranging from human-robot interactions to NASA’s thoughts on maintaining a continuity of research in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles., technology development on the ISSInternational Space Station and future platforms, and the current landscape for space investment. Day 2 even featured an “out-of-this-world” gameshow—payload pandemonium!

The ISSRDC 2024 Women’s Networking Breakfast

The day began with the annual ISSRDC Women’s Networking Event, where women in the space industry can engage with one another and make meaningful connections. This year’s event featured an insightful panel discussion among four women that hold leadership positions at Barrios Technology, JES Tech, Rhodium Scientific, and Sophic Synergistics.

“Mistress of Machines” Kate Darling delivers a keynote address at ISSRDC 2024 on human-robot interactions

The morning keynote session kicked off with a charming dinosaur robot named Mr. Spaghetti and Kate Darling, a leading expert in robot ethics. Darling, who oversees a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, delved into societal questions related to the development of intelligent robots and AI. Known as the “Mistress of Machines,” her work focuses on the emotional connections people form with life-like machines, aiming to influence technology design and policy direction. Darling said, “It’s deeply ingrained in us to look for ourselves in the world around us.” Reflecting on her own experiences with robots, she explained, “Even though I knew it was a robot, I still had empathy for it.”

Darling questions the need to replicate human intelligence in robots, suggesting that this comparison limits us. “To me, the question isn’t ‘Can we recreate human intelligence and skill in the future?’ The question to me is ‘Why would we want to do that in the first place when we have something that’s different?’ The potential of robotics on the ISS is not to recreate something that we already have—it’s to partner with these technologies in what we’re trying to achieve.”

Rich Leshner, VP of government affairs for Vast, gives a lightning talk at ISSRDC 2024

During a lightning talk, Rich Leshner, VP of Government Affairs for Vast, spoke about the company’s ambitious plans for a commercial space station in low Earth orbit: Haven-1. He highlighted the future of space exploration, envisioning a scenario where commercial rockets launch commercial spacecraft with commercial astronauts to commercial space stations. Leshner emphasized the importance of ensuring a seamless transition from the ISS to commercial space destinations, stressing the need for continuous innovation and teamwork.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration Associate Administrator Jim Free gives a luncheon keynote address at ISSRDC 2024

In the luncheon keynote, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free highlighted exciting developments on the ISS and underscored the value that the orbiting laboratory provides to the nation. He said the ISS is “helping to fulfill the agency’s mission of not only enabling science but also maintaining the U.S. leadership in space and inspiring the next generation.”

Nicolette Pirjanian, associate scientist at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, discussed her team’s research on brain organoids in space during an ISSRDC 2024 technical session on biology and medicine.

At the Day 2 Biology and Medicine Technical Session, Nicolette Pirjanian, associate scientist at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, discussed her team’s ISS National Lab-sponsored research studying brain organoids in space to better understand the mechanisms involved in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The brain organoids were created using induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. Results could lead to new therapeutics for these and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, gives a lightning talk at ISSRDC 2024

One of today’s lightning talks was given by Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “The benefits of LEO science are incredibly far-reaching,” she said. In addition to improving life on Earth, research in LEO is “critical to our success in exploring the rest of our universe.”

At ISSRDC 2024, Robyn Gatens, NASA’s director of the International Space Station, Kirt Costello, NASA commercial low Earth orbit Development program utilization manager, and Ryan Prouty, manager of NASA’s ISS Research and Integration Office, led a panel discussion on maintaining a continuity of research in low Earth orbit.

Robyn Gatens, NASA’s director of the International Space Station, moderated a panel on maintaining a continuity of research in low Earth orbit. She was joined by Kirt Costello, NASA commercial low Earth orbit Development program utilization manager, and Ryan Prouty, manager of NASA’s ISS Research and Integration Office. During the discussion, Prouty said, “One of the best things I love about the ISS is that there’s always something exciting going on. We are in the golden era of ISS research.” Regarding the continuation of research in LEO post ISS, she underscored, “We want users to keep developing their science knowing there will be a destination.”

Ariel Ekblaw, CEO of the Aurelia Institute, gives a lightning talk at ISSRDC 2024

An afternoon lightning talk was given by Ariel Ekblaw, CEO of the Aurelia Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to building humanity’s future in space through the development of innovative space habitats. “We at Aurelia work on the human lived experience of space,” Ekblaw said. “So in addition to thinking about the next generation of the shells for the architecture itself, how do we design the artifacts on the inside—the experiences, the products, the tools, that make it a life worth living in space.”

At ISSRDC 2024, the “Payload Pandemonium” gameshow was moderated by Alain Berinstain, CSS chief strategy officer, and hosted by Robbie Hampton, ISS National Lab director of payload operations, and Ryan Prouty, manager of NASA’s ISS Research and Integration Office.

A payload operations gameshow on the main stage took attendees through the process of how projects go from concept to flight. Payload Pandemonium was moderated by Alain Berinstain, CSS chief strategy officer, and was hosted by Robbie Hampton, ISS National Lab director of payload operations, and Ryan Prouty, manager of NASA’s ISS Research and Integration Office. Three contestants—Stephanie Countryman of BioServe Space Technologies, Heath Mills of Rhodium Scientific, and Molly Mulligan of Redwire Space—competed in their knowledge of the intricacies involved in launching an investigation to station.

At ISSRDC 2024, ISS National Lab Director of Payload Operations Robbie Hampton moderated a fireside chat about technology development on the ISS and future LEO platforms with Tim Kopra, Starlab Space CEO; Kris Kuehnel, managing director of space exploration services at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.; and Rick Mastracchio, director of strategy and business development at Northrop Grumman.

ISS National Lab Director of Payload Operations Robbie Hampton moderated a fireside chat about technology development on the ISS and future LEO platforms. He was joined by Tim Kopra, Starlab Space CEO; Kris Kuehnel, managing director of space exploration services at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc.; and Rick Mastracchio, director of strategy and business development at Northrop Grumman.

At ISSRDC 2024, a space investment plenary was moderated by Chris Quilty, co-CEO and president of Quilty Space, and included panelists Lewis Jones, vice president at Generation Space, Jon Lusczakoski, vice president at AE Industrial Partners, Josephine Millward, partner at OpAmp Capital, and Elizabeth Reynolds, managing director at USA Starburst Aerospace.

The day concluded with a plenary session on investing in space, touching on topics including investor expectations, industry growth outlook, and the government’s role as a customer and regulator. The session, moderated by Chris Quilty, co-CEO and president of Quilty Space, included panelists Lewis Jones, vice president at Generation Space, Jon Lusczakoski, vice president at AE Industrial Partners, Josephine Millward, partner at OpAmp Capital, and Elizabeth Reynolds, managing director at USA Starburst Aerospace.

“In-space manufacturing is not something I really focused on because I always viewed it as something really far out,” Millward confessed. “But I’ve learned a lot at this conference, and I think there is a lot of really exciting R&D going on, especially with pharmaceutical development and semiconductor materials, so I will be doing more homework—come and talk to me.”

There’s still more excitement to come during Day 3 of ISSRDC 2024, with a panel on the power of diversity in the space industry, a plenary session with ISS International Partners, and a luncheon keynote address from NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen.