American Society for Gravitational and Space Research

What American Society for Gravitational and Space Research does

American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit professional society founded in 1984 that advances biological and physical sciences research in variable gravity environments. It serves research scientists, students, educators, industry partners, and government agencies through a portfolio of member services including a peer-reviewed open-access journal (Gravitational and Space Research, published via Sciendo), a flagship annual conference (the 42nd edition scheduled December 2–5, 2026 in Crystal City, VA), a structured awards and Fellows program, and a dedicated student sub-brand (ASGSR Students) with programs such as the SECA associates and the Ken Souza Memorial Student Spaceflight Research Program (partnered with Blue Origin for New Shepard suborbital flights).

The society's core technology footprint is administrative rather than scientific: an X-CD member/conference management portal, Mailchimp newsletters, YouTube archives, and a Redbubble merchandise storefront, layered over a content engine built on a multi-committee volunteer structure (Education & Outreach, External Affairs, Journal, Meetings & Workshops, Social Media & Marketing, Space Workforce & Community Engagement, and GSR-TAG). Its content asset is the GSR Journal and the conference proceedings, supported by an awards portfolio (Founder's Award, Orr Reynolds Distinguished Service Award, ASGSR Fellows, Mid-Career, Thora Halstead Early Career, President's Award, Tom K. Scott Student Award, and STEAM Foundation scholarships).

ASGSR generates revenue through a recurring membership model (Regular $175–$250, Student $35–$50, Retired $75–$150, Educator Affiliate $150, Lifetime $750–$1,000; annual cycle July 1 to June 30), conference registration fees, a tiered corporate sponsorship program (Exhibitor $750 to Premier Sponsor $20,000), journal publication fees routed through Sciendo, and donations/fundraising for the STEAM Foundation. The organization is governed by an elected Board and led by Executive Director Ellen Gertsen with a 1–10 person staff, and is sustained operationally through deep institutional relationships with NASA Space Biology, NASA BPS, the ISS National Laboratory, Blue Origin, Sierra Space, and—most recently—the Commercial Space Federation.

Name

American Society for Gravitational and Space Research

Legal name

American Society for Gravitational and Space Research

Website

https://asgsr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASGSR is a U.S. nonprofit professional society founded in 1984 that advances gravitational and space biological and physical sciences research through an annual conference, the GSR peer-reviewed journal, membership services, and student programs serving scientists, students, educators, and space industry partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Professional Society Services

NAICS

Space Research and Technology (927)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHALAJ

Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

Keywords

• Space biology research
• Gravitational space research
• Professional scientific society
• Scientific conference services
• Peer reviewed journal

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from regular members, students, retired professionals, educators, and lifetime members. Membership runs from July 1 to June 30 annually.
2. Conference Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue from conference registration fees and corporate sponsorship packages ranging from Exhibitor ($750) to Premier Sponsor ($20,000). The 2026 Annual Meeting in Crystal City, VA offers various sponsorship tiers with corresponding benefits.
3. Student Program Partnerships: Partnership with Blue Origin for the Ken Souza Memorial Student Spaceflight Research Program, providing microgravity flight opportunities and $1,000 grants to student winners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ASGSR is a nonprofit professional society that advances biological and physical sciences research in, of, and for space. It delivers value through an annual interdisciplinary conference, a peer-reviewed open-access journal (Gravitational and Space Research published via Sciendo), membership services across multiple tiers, student research programs including suborbital flight opportunities, awards programs, and educational outreach through its STEAM Foundation.

Product overview

The American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) is a nonprofit professional society founded in 1984 that advances biological and physical sciences research in, of, and for space. Rather than offering a unified software product, ASGSR provides a portfolio of member services including the annual conference (42nd Annual Meeting December 2026 in Crystal City, VA), the Gravitational and Space Research (GSR) open-access journal published via Sciendo, student research programs like the Ken Souza Memorial Spaceflight Research Program offering Blue Origin New Shepard flights, competitive awards (Founder's Award, Fellows designation, Thora Halstead Early Career Award, and various student scholarships), the ASGSR Art Competition celebrating science through artistic expression, and STEAM Foundation educational outreach initiatives. These services are delivered through membership tiers, the X-CD conference management system, and partnerships with organizations including NASA, Blue Origin, and various academic institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASGSR Students: Student arm of ASGSR focused on education outreach and professional development for students interested in microgravity sciences.

Products and services

• ASGSR Annual Conference Annual interdisciplinary gathering bringing together researchers, educators, students, industry professionals, and government partners focused on biological and physical sciences in variable gravity environments. The 42nd Annual Meeting is scheduled for December 2-5, 2026 in Crystal City, Virginia.
• Gravitational and Space Research (GSR) Journal ASGSR's open-access peer-reviewed journal published via Sciendo, covering research in gravitational biology, radiation biology, physical sciences, bioastronautics, and astrobiology.
• Ken Souza Memorial Spaceflight Research Program Student research competition offering free suborbital flight opportunities on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket and $1,000 grants for payload development to top student proposals in space life and physical sciences.
• Student/Early Career Associates (SECA) Program Program enabling students and young professionals to engage year-round with ASGSR through social media management, conference planning, website development, and scholarship organization activities.
• ASGSR Awards Program Comprehensive awards suite including Founder's Award (highest honor), Orr Reynolds Distinguished Service Award, ASGSR Fellows designation, Mid-Career Award, Thora Halstead Early Career Award, President's Award, Tom K. Scott Student Award, and student scholarships.
• ASGSR Art Competition Annual art contest celebrating the intersection of art and scientific exploration, featuring categories including GSR Journal Cover Award, Audience Choice Awards, and Technical/Artistic Merit categories.
• Professional Society Membership Services Professional society membership offering regular, student, student affiliate, retired, educator affiliate, and lifetime membership tiers with benefits including conference discounts, member-only events, and voting rights for governing board members.
• STEAM Foundation Programs Educational outreach initiatives including STEAM Foundation Promising Student Research Awards (up to $1,000), Abe Krikorian Promising Student Research Honorarium, and ASGSR STEAM Foundation supporting science education and student involvement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42nd Annual Conference held in 2026, demonstrating sustained organization and community engagement since 1984
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Commercial Space Federation (CSF)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 March 2026ASGSR was welcomed as a new member of the Commercial Space Federation in March 2026. CSF, founded in 2006, serves as the primary advocate for the U.S. commercial space industry before Congress and the Administration. ASGSR joins LeoLabs and SurgeStreams as new CSF members strengthening CSF's membership across orbital intelligence, space research, and commercial space supply chain innovation.
• Blue OrigincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue Origin partners with ASGSR on the Ken Souza Memorial Student Spaceflight Research Program, providing free suborbital flights on the New Shepard rocket for winning student research payloads. Winners also receive a $1,000 grant to prepare for their flight. The partnership enables students to conduct microgravity research during approximately 3 minutes of microgravity on suborbital missions.
• Student European Low-Gravity Research Association (SELGRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSELGRA is the student chapter of the European Low Gravity Research Association and serves as the point of reference for gravity-related students across Europe. ASGSR Students collaborates with SELGRA to bridge the gap between students and the microgravity research community internationally. SELGRA organises and supports outreach activities as well as member presentations and research promotion.
• Fairchild's Growing Beyond Earth (GBE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowing Beyond Earth is Fairchild's NASA-funded classroom science project designed to advance research on growing plants aboard spacecraft. ASGSR Students partners with GBE to address STEM challenges related to food production in space. On Earth, GBE improves technologies for gardening in urban, indoor, and other settings, aligning with ASGSR's educational outreach mission.
• Aerospace Medicine Student and Resident Organization (AMSRO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMSRO is an expanding group of upcoming professionals in aerospace medicine that disseminate information regarding career and educational opportunities to its membership. ASGSR Students collaborates with AMSRO to provide a forum for students and residents interested in aerospace-related fields and exchange insights regarding training programs, research opportunities, and career development.
• United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASGSR Students lists UNOOSA among its partner organizations, supporting the goal of bridging students with different actors of the microgravity research community globally.
• Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASGSR Students lists SGAC among its partner organizations, supporting international student engagement in space policy and research.
• ISS National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor of the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. ISS National Lab supports space life sciences research initiatives and collaborates with ASGSR on programs advancing biological and physical research on the International Space Station.
• Sierra SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor of the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference and collaborator in space research and commercial space development. Sierra Space is developing commercial space stations and related technologies.
• Nan rackscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor of the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. Nan racks is a commercial space station operator providing access to the ISS and developing commercial destinations in low Earth orbit.
• LeidosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Sponsor of the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. Leidos is a defense, aviation, and information technology company with space-related research interests.
• Space TangocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver Sponsor of the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. Space Tango provides research and manufacturing capabilities on the ISS and develops orbital platforms for research.
• NASA Space BiologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. NASA Space Biology conducts research to advance understanding of how space affects living organisms.
• NASA BPS (Biological and Physical Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. NASA BPS supports research in biological and physical sciences essential for space exploration.
• BioServe Space TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. BioServe Space Technologies, based at the University of Colorado, designs and builds spaceflight hardware and conducts research on ISS.
• TechshotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for the 2021 ASGSR Annual Conference. Techshot provides research services and hardware for spaceflight experiments.
• NASA Flight OpportunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporting organization on the ASGSR student website, providing access to suborbital flight opportunities for researchers.
• G-SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporting organization for ASGSR conferences.
• Cell SpinpodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporting organization for ASGSR conferences, providing spaceflight hardware capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Society for Neuroscience (SfN): SfN operates a large annual meeting, The Journal of Neuroscience, and member programs serving a biology-adjacent scientific community — a comparable society-as-platform model with tiered membership and major conference sponsorship.
• Biophysical Society: The Biophysical Society operates annual meetings, a peer-reviewed journal (Biophysical Journal), and member programs centered on biological physics — comparable to ASGSR's interdisciplinary model spanning biology and physical sciences.
• Committee on Space Research (COSPAR): COSPAR is the international scientific body promoting space research at the global level, organizing biennial assemblies and scientific commissions including those covering biological and physical sciences in space — directly comparable to ASGSR's mission and community.
• American Astronomical Society (AAS): AAS is a peer scientific society running large annual meetings, multiple peer-reviewed journals (e.g., ApJ, AJ), and member programs serving a related space-science community. Comparable structure and member-services model to ASGSR.
• International Academy of Astronautics (IAA): IAA is an international learned society focused on astronautics, including life sciences and space biology — directly comparable to ASGSR's domain, with conferences, publications, and member-driven committees.

Others

• Space Frontier Foundation: The Space Frontier Foundation is a nonprofit advocating for commercial space development, organizing events and convening industry — thematically comparable as a space-sector nonprofit community-builder that works with many of ASGSR's industry sponsors.
• American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology (former ASGSB): ASGSB was the predecessor name of the organization (per the previously_known_as field), not a separate peer — included here only as an organizational reference; ASGSR itself is the continuing entity.

Broad incumbents

• American Geophysical Union (AGU): AGU is a large earth and space science society with annual conferences, journals (JGR, Geophysical Research Letters), and section-based communities — comparable as a multidisciplinary scientific society with overlapping space research members.
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA): AIAA is the largest U.S. aerospace professional society, offering conferences, publications, and member services that overlap with ASGSR's space research community. Comparable as a peer scientific society with tiered membership, journals, and annual conferences, though ASGSR is narrower in focus on gravitational and biological sciences.

Regional players

• Mars Society: The Mars Society is a smaller nonprofit space advocacy organization running annual conventions, student competitions, and research programs. Comparable as a peer space-focused nonprofit society with member-led conferences and student engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ASGSRSpace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjAHXfaoWaUyVZ9B1xaDtRA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASGSR2020
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asgsr
• Instagraminstagram.com/asgsrspace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Society for Gravitational and Space Research