the ISS National Lab Names Bobby Block Director of Communications

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL. (March 6, 2012) – Today, Robert “Bobby” Block was named director of communications for the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab) – the nonprofit entity selected in 2011 by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration to maximize utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory.

In this position, Block will be responsible for promoting the the ISS National Lab and ISS National Laboratory brands internationally through targeted communications, marketing and public relations campaigns. He will also lead an aggressive effort to build lasting partnerships with industry and stakeholder media.

Prior to joining the ISS National Lab, Block served as the vice president of corporate communications for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a commercial spaceflight company based in Hawthorne, CA. While at SpaceX, Block was credited by space industry media with making the company more “press friendly” and transparent. Prior to SpaceX, Block held senior-level news reporting positions at nationally-recognized organizations like Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and the Orlando Sentinel. He is an author and award-winning journalist with more than three decades of experience in media and public relations.

“Bobby brings high-level media and public relations expertise to our growing organization,” said the ISS National Lab Interim Executive Director Jim Royston. “In the coming months, as he leads our branding and promotional efforts, I am confident we will significantly raise the profile of the ISS National Lab and the ISS National Lab in the international marketplace.”

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About the ISS National Lab: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISS National Lab) was selected by NASA in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. the ISS National Lab is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, visit issnationallab.org.

About the ISS National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation’s newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. setting, vantage point in low-earth orbit and varied environments of space. The NASA National Lab Office currently facilitates research initiatives on board the ISS NL, but management of the Nation’s only on-orbit laboratory is now transitioning to the ISS National Lab.

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