On May 18, 2026, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) officially elected The Catholic University of America as a member institution in its prestigious consortium.
Founded in 1969, USRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing space science, technology, and engineering through federally funded research, scientific institutes, educational programs, and university partnerships.
To be eligible for this consortium, an institution must demonstrate significant faculty contributions to space or aerospace research, along with a strong commitment to doctoral education and dissertation research in related fields.
Catholic University’s strong academic foundation in physics, engineering, and computer science, combined with its commitment to space science, positioned it as an ideal candidate for USRA membership. The University’s selection aligns with its continued focus on research excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
The University has a long history of contributions to space science stemming from the Department of Physics, with strengths in heliophysics, astrophysics, and planetary science. Through its Institute for Astrophysics and Computational Sciences (IACS), the University has partnered with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center since the mid-1990s. This collaboration has included participation in major cooperative programs such as the Partnership for Heliophysics and Space Environment Research (PHaSER) and the Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology II (CRESST II), supporting research in heliophysics, astronomy, planetary science, and high-energy astrophysics.
The College of Engineering, Physics, and Computing looks forward to building new partnerships and collaborations through membership in the USRA consortium to help drive future advances in space science, as well as in engineering, physics, and computing more broadly.
To learn more, click here: https://newsroom.usra.edu/universities-space-research-association-welcomesthe-catholic-university-of-america-to-its-prestigious-consortium/