ISS National Lab Partners with AIAA to Expand ASCEND with Low Earth Orbit-Focused Sessions in 2025 and 2026

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), July 1, 2025 – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®), manager of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, is joining forces with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) to expand programming for the upcoming ASCEND events in Las Vegas July 22-24, 2025, and in Washington, D.C. in 2026.

For more than a decade, CASIS(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes). acted as the lead sponsor of the annual ISSInternational Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC(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.). The successful conference brought together researchers, explorers, visionaries, and investors in one setting to push the limits of space-based R&D and establish a sustainable market 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. (LEO). Now, through this partnership with AIAA, a new era of collaboration will begin, serving the expanding space communities in one powerful forum. As CASIS and AIAA move into 2025 and 2026, the foundations built through ISSRDC programming will now enhance ASCEND’s robust agenda.

At ASCEND 2025, new content will highlight the ISS National Lab’s critical role in advancing research initiatives and discovery in LEO. The ISS National Lab has supported the validation of new technologies and facilities in space to broaden capabilities for researchers while laying the foundation for a seamless transition to commercial LEO destinations of the future. This ongoing partnership drives new markets and develops alliances to explore beyond Earth’s gravitational force.

Sessions led by the ISS National Lab at ASCEND 2025 will focus on the following areas: 

• 25 years of continuous human presence on the ISS and the valuable research the space station has enabled, including advancements in biotechnology, fundamental science, and technology development. At ASCEND, research teams and programmatic leaders will discuss the critical impact of the space station, with an eye toward a future where astronauts will again embark on missions to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis campaign.
• The state of space investment and the need to support innovative startups with the potential for profound scientific impact. More than half of the payloads that have launched through the ISS National Lab represent private-sector interests, from Fortune 500 companies to small startups. This robust pipeline of commercial research has pushed advancements in pharmaceutical development, new communications technologies, consumer goods, and more. Startups that leveraged the ISS National Lab have cumulatively raised more than $2.4 billion in funding following their spaceflight projects. Joining ASCEND to discuss the importance of supporting startups in space are funding partners from the ISS National Lab’s recently announced Orbital Edge Accelerator program. The new program will select six cutting-edge startups to receive private investments up to $500,000 each to unlock discoveries that can drive new commercial opportunities in LEO.
• The critical need to preserve commercial leadership in LEO and support the small businesses that provide hardware, facilities, and services to enable space-based R&D. ISS National Lab Implementation Partners and Commercial Service Providers are key to furthering innovation in space and establishing a robust and sustainable LEO economy. Partners from this community will join ASCEND to discuss economic challenges that may impede our nation’s ability to maintain scientific leadership in space.
• The importance of supporting workforce development programs that prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers. At ASCEND, this year’s finalists in the Genes in SpaceAn annual national research competition for students in grades 7 through 12 to design pioneering biotechnology experiments that are conducted by astronauts on the space station. The program is funded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Laboratory® and New England BioLabs. student research competition will present their proposals for DNA experiments to a panel of scientists and industry leaders for the opportunity to launch their project to the space station. The contest provides students in grades 7-12 with a hands-on, immersive introduction to science and space, laying a strong foundation for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As the U.S. faces a pressing need for a robust future STEM workforce, programs like Genes in Space help spark curiosity and inspire students to pursue careers in STEM fields.

The new partnership between the ISS National Lab and AIAA will continue at ASCEND 2026 during “Space Week” in Washington, D.C. Other partners for the 2026 event include the Commercial Space Federation (CSF), the Space Force Association (SFA), and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). The AIAA partnership will amplify the ISS National Lab’s mission to advance space-based R&D, foster a sustainable market economy in space, and pave the way for future commercial LEO destinations. Lockheed Martin is the premier sponsor of ASCEND.

Registration for ASCEND 2025 is open. Journalists can request an ASCEND Press Pass. The ASCEND Call for Content will open in early July 2025, inviting the global space community to submit technical abstracts and propose collaborative session topics across a broad range of disciplines.

For the most updated program information, visit ascend.events and follow ASCEND on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

For media inquiries, contact:
AIAA: Rebecca Gray, RebeccaG@AIAA.org, 804-397-5270
ISS National Lab: Patrick O’Neill, poneill@issnationallab.org, 904-806-0035

Download a high-resolution image for this release: ASCEND 2025

Media Contact:
Patrick O’Neill
904-806-0035
PONeill@ISSNationalLab.org

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About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory: The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative AgreementA cooperative agreement is Federal assistance that establishes a relationship between the U.S. Government and a recipient in which the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation.  Since 2011, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) has managed the National Laboratory® through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA. with NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, facilitating access to its 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. research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CASIS accepts corporate and individual donations to help advance science in space for the benefit of humanity. For more information, visit our donations page.

About AIAA: AIAA is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. Visit www.aiaa.org or follow us: X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.