Universities Space Research Association

09/21/2026

✨ USRA is honored to recognize General Lyles’ lifetime of achievement and the lasting impact he has had on the Air & Space Forces and the broader national security community.

09/16/2026

🏈🏈 🌑 NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera team recently discovered a new crater on the Moon that is twice the length of an American football field. The study, published in Science Advances, was conducted by members of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) science team, including Principal Investigator and lead author Dr. Mark Robinson of Intuitive Machines and co-author Dr. Julie Stopar of USRA’s Lunar and Planetary Institute.

✨ The crater was named after Thomas R. McGetchin. Note: USRA also offers a scholarship award named after McGetchin: https://www.usra.edu/educational-activities-and-opportunities/usra-distinguished-undergraduate-awards/

https://newsroom.usra.edu/nasas-lunar-reconnaissance-orbiter-discovers-a-new-222-m-diameter-lunar-crater/

Washington D.C., 2026 – September 16, 2026. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera team recently discovered a new crater on the Moon that is twice the length of an American football field. The study, published in Science Advances, was conducted by members of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orb...

07/22/2026

🌍 Collaboration across the pond with Space Park Leicester!

🚀 The University of Leicester’s £100 million science and innovation park will host the USRA’s UK presence, supporting the space economy across Europe.

· US-based Universities Space Research Association (USRA) to establish a new corporate entity in the UK· Will unlock direct access to UK space economy and build links across Europe· University of Leicester has more than twenty-year history with the USRAWashington, D.C. – July 22, 2026. The Univ...

07/10/2026

📢 Undergrads in science or engineering📢

📅Apply (or share) now through Aug. 12 for a scholarship

📸Scholarship Alumni at the 2026 American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter meeting. Delondrae Carter (2020, Arizona State University), Dr. Charles Law (2016, University of Virginia), Bradley H. (2025, Indiana University Bloomington), Olivia Nippe-Jeakins (2025, The George Washington University), Raven Cilley (2025, University of Michigan)

https://www.usra.edu/educational-activities-and-opportunities/usra-distinguished-undergraduate-awards/

07/02/2026

👩‍🚀NASA's (LR0) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter kicked off a new era of humans on the Moon. USRA's Dr. Julie Stopar has been there since the beginning.

🎉Congrats to 17 years!

📸 The first time anyone had seen the Moon in so much detail since Apollo! Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University.

Washington D.C.,-- July 2, 2026. As of June 23, 2026, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has spent an incredible 17 years in orbit around the Moon. The spacecraft launched on June 18, 2009, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, along with NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing ...

05/26/2026

🏛️ USRA has 124 member institutions as of today!

✨ Welcome, The Catholic University of America! CUA's academic prominence in physics, engineering, computer science and decades of space science accomplishments made it an ideal candidate for membership.

🔊 "We are delighted to have The Catholic University of America as part of our University Association. We look forward to the contributions of The Catholic University of America in ongoing space science investigations, and collaborations with faculty and peers on space-related projects, and USRA programs that bridge academic research with real-world space exploration challenges. We welcome CUA’s contributions to USRA’s legacy of excellence in science and furthering its mission of advancing knowledge in service to humanity.” - Elsayed Talaat, USRA President and CEO

https://newsroom.usra.edu/universities-space-research-association-welcomesthe-catholic-university-of-america-to-its-prestigious-consortium/

Washington, D.C., – May 26, 2026. The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) elected The Catholic University of America (CUA) as a member institution officially on May 18, 2026, bringing USRA's  membership to 124 institutions.The eligibility criteria for USRA membership include demonstrat...

05/19/2026

⚡USRA Announces the Establishment of its New Subsidiary, USRA Energy LLC ⚡

www.usraenergy.com

https://newsroom.usra.edu/universities-space-research-association-announces-the-establishment-its-new-subsidiary-usra-energy-llc-to-advance-the-nations-priorities-in-energy/

Washington, D.C., – May 19, 2026. Universities Space Research Association (USRA) today announced the formation of its wholly owned subsidiary, USRA Energy LLC, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The establishment of this entity aligns with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) priorities to apply ...

05/12/2026

🗺️ From astrophysics to Earth observation, USRA supports cutting‑edge research that helps us better understand our planet and our universe.

Write you name in Earth images too:
https://science.nasa.gov/specials/your-name-in-landsat/

Thanks, NASA Earth !

05/01/2026

👩‍🚀 Ever wonder how astronauts get medical care millions of miles from Earth? USRA's Dr. Chase Haddix is helping make that possible.

🩻 A Senior Biomedical Engineering Researcher, Dr. Haddix focuses on evaluating medical technologies for human spaceflight from physiological monitoring devices to portable X‑ray systems. His work helps determine which commercial tools are reliable enough to support astronauts during missions, including flight and Mars‑analog environments like CHAPEA and Polaris Dawn.

🚀 As space exploration ramps up, crews will need greater medical autonomy than ever before. The recent return to human space flight with missions will also provide new opportunities to evaluate and implement advanced medical diagnostics outside of Low Earth Orbit.

More about Dr. Haddix's work:
https://newsroom.usra.edu/usra-staff-helps-nasa-glenn-pioneer-mini-xray-technology-to-advance-space-health-care/

https://newsroom.usra.edu/usra-staff-helps-nasa-glenn-pioneer-mini-xray-technology-to-advance-space-health-care/

Washington, D.C., – October 7, 2025. Future astronauts heading to the Moon or Mars may pack a surprising tool in their medical kit: a handheld X-ray machine. As missions venture farther from Earth, crews can’t rely on quick telemedicine consults. With two-way communication delays of up to 45 min...

04/22/2026

⌛ Since 1969, USRA has brought universities, government, and industry together to advance space science, aeronautics research, and STEM education for the benefit of humanity.

USRA is an independent, nonprofit research corporation where the combined efforts of in-house talent and university-based expertise merge to advance space science and technology. SIGNIFICANCE & PURPOSE USRA conducts major research and educational programs, and operates premier facilities by invol...