NASA Astronaut Woody Hoburg to Deliver Keynote Address at ISSRDC Focused on Developing a Space Workforce

BOSTON (MA), June 20, 2024 – NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg will deliver a keynote address at the International 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.) in Boston on Thursday, August 1, 2024. Hoburg has close ties to Boston as a graduate and former assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Hoburg’s address will focus on his six-month science expedition on the space station and the importance of shaping the future workforce to ensure the success of a sustainable 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. economy. Hoburg is a strong advocate of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for space-focused careers.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Hoburg showed an early interest in space as a finalist in a national rocketry contest while still in high school. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics at MIT and then completed his master’s degree and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. After working in product development for Boeing, Hoburg returned to MIT as an assistant professor.

At MIT, Hoburg focused his research on efficient methods for designing engineering systems and led a research group that produced an open-source software package for geometric programming. During this time, he was selected to join the 2017 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class. In 2023, Hoburg spent 186 days in space as an astronaut on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the space station. He supported a variety of investigations during this mission, including multiple projects focused on regenerative medicine and in-space production applications(Abbreviation: InSPA) InSPA is an applied research and development program sponsored by NASA and the ISS National Lab aimed at demonstrating space-based manufacturing and production activities by using the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature products and processes that could have an economic impact.. He also took part in fluid transport investigations and projects that mitigate space radiation risks to humans.

Hoburg’s keynote address will complement Thursday’s panel sessions, lightning talk, and awards presentations focused on expanding the space workforce and increasing entrepreneurial participation in the space industry. The success of future commercial destinations in LEO requires a strong workforce, and the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab supports a number of educational outreach programs at every age level to help prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s researchers, engineers, and explorers.

ISSRDC brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government agencies, and academic communities to foster innovation and discovery onboard the space station. ISSRDC 2024 will showcase how the orbiting laboratory continues to provide a valuable platform for research and technology development that benefits humanity and enables a robust and sustainable market in LEO. ISSRDC 2024 will be held July 29 to August 1 at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston.

ISSRDC is hosted by the ISS National Laboratory®, managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (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).); NASA; and the American Astronautical Society (AAS). Additional announcements on keynote speakers and other conference sessions will be forthcoming.

To learn more about ISSRDC 2024, including how to register, exhibit, or become a conference sponsor, please visit the conference website.

Download a high-resolution photo: NASA Astronaut Woody Hoburg (Conference Graphic)
Download a high-resolution photo: NASA Astronaut Woody Hoburg

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 NASA, 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.