Startups in Space: ISSRDC Session Features Multiple Boston-Based Companies

BOSTON (MA), July 24, 2024 – Startup companies are vital to ingenuity, innovation, and economic growth, and a session 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.) will focus on the critical role of this community in growing the space-based ecosystem. For more than a decade, the Boston-based MassChallenge startup accelerator program has partnered with Boeing and the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory on the Technology in Space Prize, which provides startups with funding and the ability to launch research and technology demonstrations to the orbiting outpost.

This fireside chat will focus on how MassChallenge and other pathways are equipping startups with the investment and access required to push the boundaries of innovation in space for the benefit of people on Earth. ISSRDC takes place July 29-August 1 at Boston’s Marriott Copley Place, with this session slated for Wednesday, July 30.

Since the inception of the Technology in Space Prize—funded 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).), which manages the ISS National Lab, and Boeing—approximately $10 million has been awarded for more than 30 research projects. Many of these investigations have already launched to the space station and are now building on discoveries made 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). Through these ISS National Lab flight opportunities, many companies have been able to secure additional private investment dollars, allowing them to expand their research and technology development (R&D) capabilities as well as their ability to recruit new talent to grow their workforce.

This panel will be moderated by Patrick O’Neill, public affairs and outreach lead for the ISS National Lab. Joining him on the panel are the following:

• Will Magruder, vice president of partnerships at MassChallenge: Through the MassChallenge startup accelerator program, dozens of startups have learned how the novel environment of space can accelerate business models for the benefit of humanity.
• Shane Hegarty, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Axonis Therapeutics: As a 2019 Technology in Space PrizeA prize that provides grant funding for business startups participating in the MassChallenge startup accelerator program to conduct innovative research and technology development utilizing the ISS National Lab. The prize is funded by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages the ISS National Lab, and Boeing. awardee, Axonis Therapeutics launched an investigation to the space station last year to examine how 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. affects the maturation of human brain cells that form three dimensional spheroids that mimic certain aspects of the human brain. The investigation was a success and analysis is ongoing. Results could advance disease modeling and lead to the development of new therapies to treat neurological disorders in patients on Earth.
• Sebastian Kraves, co-founder of miniPCR bio™: First introduced to Boeing and the ISS National Lab through MassChallenge, miniPCR bio™ was intent on validating the capabilities of its miniaturized polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device in space to expand capabilities on the ISS. Seeing the value of PCR for space-based research, Boeing invested in miniPCR bio™ to launch its machine, and together the companies co-created the Genes in Space^TM student research competition for grades 7 through 12. A 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-led investigation utilized the miniPCR bio™ device on station to support the first experiment to ever edit DNA in space using CRISPR technology.

This fireside chat is one of many events taking place at ISSRDC, which also features plenary presentations, technical sessions, lightning talks, workshops, and networking opportunities. A Marketplace Expo allows companies to showcase how they are advancing opportunities in low Earth orbit and provides a venue to meet with researchers and stakeholders.

ISSRDC is hosted by CASIS™, manager of the ISS National Lab; NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the American Astronautical Society. To learn more about ISSRDC, including how to register, exhibit, and become a sponsor, please visit our conference website.

Download a high-resolution photo: Conference Graphic

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 microgravity 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.