What Is CASIS? Does The Future Of The ISS Really Up To This Little Florida Nonprofit Now?

Most of us have never heard of CASIS. Well, it's a nonprofit that gets $15 million of NASA's budget every year along with that half share of the US-controlled part of the ISS. With that investment, it's supposed to get scientists, businesses, and educators to take full advantage of the station.

On July 13, 2011, NASA released a cooperative agreement notice to solicit proposals and had chosen the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to be the sole manager of the International Space Station US National Laboratory.

Goals:

The mission of CASIS is to maximize use of this unparalleled platform for innovation, which can benefit all humankind. To accomplish these goals, CASIS has at its disposal several tools, resources and capabilities:

• Seed money-Some $3 million is available to help fund promising research projects and product development. CASIS can also connect researchers with third-party investors and financiers.
• Expertise-Seasoned professional aerospace teams are on hand to help develop payloads and integrate systems. 
• Access to launch-CASIS works with proven launch providers around the world to get your payload to station.
• Administrative support-CASIS is set up to cut through red tape to facilitate quick access to space.
• Educational outreach-By working with NASA, commercial partners, foundations, universities and new technology companies, CASIS can create projects and curricula to teach and inspire students across the country.

What's the Progress?

According to its metrics, CASIS has given 129 scientific projects access to the ISS. It has helped provide STEM programs to nearly 180,000 participants. Each year it has funded, supported, and sent more projects into space. Since 2011, CASIS has helped launch over 7,000 pounds of stuff into low Earth orbit.

What do Critics say?

"It's a classic case of a creature of Congress, created without the appropriate oversight and with a lot of murkiness in terms of what its reporting requirements are," says Keith Cowing, who runs the blog NASA Watch. He has spent years calling out CASIS for taking the ISS for granted. "My ongoing rant is, how does CASIS make decisions? How does NASA vet their reports?" he says.

GAO and OIG report questioned how well NASA and CASIS were coordinating their research efforts. The 2010 law that essentially created CASIS also required NASA to create a committee:"The ISS National Laboratory Advisory Committee" to act as a liaison between the nonprofit and the agency. But so far, NASA has refused to staff this board.

"Here's my editorial vector on this: You've got a space station in outer space and you're doing stuff like this?" says Cowing. He's frustrated that the majority of CASIS' measurable activities are things that NASA could just as easily do.The House science committee is also waiting for CASIS to do more, according to its staffers."Because the coolest science project ever has less than a decade before it goes cold."