What Florida Space Institute does

The Florida Space Institute (FSI) is a non-profit research institute established in 1996 and administratively housed at the University of Central Florida within the State University System of Florida. FSI supports space research, development, and education across member universities in Florida, with portfolios spanning radio astronomy, solar system astronomy, planetary radar, climate and space science, experimental planetary science, and system development (robotics, spaceflight hardware, CubeSats). It is also the home of a Defense Science & Technology Office and is involved in missions including NASA Cassini, NASA's Explorer Program, high-altitude rocket launches, and next-generation suborbital flights.

FSI's operational footprint is organized around specialized facilities and programs. The Exolith Lab produces lunar, Martian, and asteroid regolith simulants and operates a 10x10-meter regolith bin containing 120+ tons of LHS-2E Lunar Highlands Simulant for testing rover mobility and hardware interactions. CCORE (Climate Center for Open Research and Education), based in Culebra, Puerto Rico, operates atmospheric and space observation instruments from ~20 km to ~250 km altitude and is the only U.S. geoscience facility in the Caribbean. The Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education, a joint venture with UCF and Space Florida, runs microgravity research on parabolic flights, drop towers, suborbital rockets, and orbital platforms. FSI also administers the Florida Space Grant Consortium for NASA and operates the Space Research Initiative for the State of Florida.

FSI is funded primarily through NASA grants, federal and state appropriations, and philanthropic campaigns (including a $50 million five-year FSI Capital Campaign launched in 2021, plus the Arecibo Legacy and Exolith Lab campaigns). Its primary constituents are academic researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, NASA and federal agencies, the State of Florida, K-12 educators, and private-sector partners. The institute's revenue model is non-commercial soft-money: it does not sell products, pricing is not publicly disclosed, and services such as research collaborations, educational programs, facility access, and outreach are offered without cost to eligible participants.

Name

Florida Space Institute

Legal name

Florida Space Institute

Website

https://fsi.ucf.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Florida Space Institute is a non-profit research institute at the University of Central Florida that conducts space science, microgravity, and atmospheric research, operates specialized testing facilities such as the Exolith Lab and CCORE, and administers NASA and State of Florida space programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Research and Aerospace R&D Services

NAICS

Space Research and Technology (927), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Military Space Systems (Defense Spacecraft) (IMABACAC)

Keywords

• Space research institute
• Aerospace research facilities
• Microgravity research programs
• Regolith simulant testing
• Space science education

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando, Florida

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Contracts: FSI operates as a non-profit soft money institution relying on external funding from NASA, federal agencies, state of Florida, and private sources to support its research programs.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: Accepts donations to support scholarships, internships, facilities, outreach programs, and research initiatives. Multiple campaigns including FSI Capital Campaign ($50M goal), Arecibo Legacy, and Exolith Lab Campaign.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Companies partner with FSI through event sponsorships, funding scholarships, or supporting specific research initiatives. Corporate partnerships provide mutual benefits through branding and recognition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Florida Space Institute (FSI) is a state university system research institute that conducts space science research, develops space hardware testing capabilities (e.g., regolith simulants), operates atmospheric observation facilities, and delivers space-related education programs. It houses the Exolith Lab, CCORE atmospheric observatory, the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research, and administers the NASA-funded Florida Space Grant Consortium.

Product overview

The Florida Space Institute (FSI) is a research institute at the University of Central Florida that supports space research, development, and education. Rather than a single product, FSI operates as a portfolio of specialized research facilities, programs, and competitions. The core offerings include: Exolith Lab for space hardware testing and regolith simulant research; CCORE for atmospheric and space science observation; the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research; the Florida Space Grant Consortium for student funding; and the Lunabotics Competition for university robotics teams. These units are supported by specialized testing facilities like the Regolith Bin and various research labs (Small Bodies Lab, Lunar Lab). FSI also conducts K-12 education outreach and manages capital campaigns for facility expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Exolith Lab: A space hardware testing and regolith research facility that characterizes and develops lunar, Martian, and asteroid regolith simulants.
• CCORE
• Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education

Products and services

• Exolith Lab A space hardware testing and regolith research facility that characterizes and develops new recipes of Lunar, Martian, and asteroid regolith (soil) simulants for space exploration research and testing, serving researchers, mission planners, and educational teams.
• CCORE (Climate Center for Open Research and Education) Located on Culebra, Puerto Rico, CCORE advances knowledge of Earth's upper atmosphere and near-space environment through cutting-edge observation, research, and innovation in space and atmospheric sciences, for the scientific community and federal collaborators.
• Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education A joint venture of UCF and Space Florida that conducts and facilitates research in microgravity sciences using parabolic airplane flights, drop towers, suborbital rocket flights, and orbital platforms, with hands-on training for students.
• Florida Space Grant Consortium A NASA-funded consortium administered by FSI that provides scholarships, internships, and research opportunities for students in aerospace and space-related fields across Florida.
• Exolith Lab Regolith Bin A state-of-the-art 10x10m regolith bin containing 120+ tons of LHS-2E Lunar Highlands Simulant for testing rover wheels and hardware interactions with planetary regolith, supporting researchers, mission teams, and university robotics competitions.
• Lunabotics Competition A NASA-sponsored robotics competition hosted at Exolith Lab where university teams develop and deploy robots capable of utilizing lunar regolith in simulated lunar environments.
• Small Bodies Lab Research laboratory focused on studying asteroids, comets, and small moons, analyzing their composition, geologic evolution, and physical properties.
• Lunar Lab Laboratory dedicated to lunar science research, including lunar surface processes and preparation for future human and robotic lunar exploration.
• K-12 Education Programs Educational outreach programs including hands-on STEM activities, robotics workshops, space science lessons, and educator resources for K-12 students and teachers.
• Florida Space Grant Consortium Programs Educational programs including scholarships, research opportunities, and internships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing aerospace and space science degrees.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3000+ attendees at public eclipse event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional host for FSI, providing administrative support, facilities, faculty, and student access. FSI is made up of researchers, educators, and staff from member universities in Florida's State University System.
• Space FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education. Space Florida is the state's aerospace economic development agency.
• Various U.S. InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCORE collaborates with various U.S. institutions on national space-observational resources and open research model for space science and atmospheric sciences.
• FOX 13 NewsminorOthersMedia coverage of Exolith Lab's lunar soil simulant development for testing rover mobility and construction methods for future Moon bases.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universities Space Research Association (USRA): Non-profit consortium of universities conducting space science research and operating NASA-affiliated institutes (including the Lunar and Planetary Institute). Directly comparable to FSI as a university-affiliated, grant-funded space research operator with multiple center facilities.
• Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI): Space science research institute operated for NASA (managing Hubble/James Webb operations) with strong ties to Johns Hopkins. Comparable as an academically hosted institute running flagship federally-funded programs in astronomy, although materially larger in budget and headcount.
• SETI Institute: Non-profit scientific research organization specializing in astrobiology and SETI research, financed through NASA grants and philanthropy. Strong overlap with FSI in the soft-money, multi-program, grant-and-donation funded model and in hosting visiting scientists.
• Space Science Institute (SSI): Non-profit research and education institute focused on space and Earth science, similar in scale and mission. SSI's mix of research staff, student programs, and K-12 outreach (e.g., National Center for Interactive Learning) parallels FSI's research-and-education dual mandate.
• Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI): USRA-operated forum for planetary science research, hosting meetings and supporting NASA's planetary science community. Closely mirrors FSI's role as a convener for lunar and planetary science researchers, with strong overlap in conferences, student programs, and grant-funded research.
• Planetary Science Institute (PSI): Non-profit dedicated to solar system exploration with a distributed scientist model across the U.S. Highly comparable: similar mission scope (planetary science, small bodies), similar non-profit/soft-money funding base, and similar researcher-led operating structure to FSI.

Broad incumbents

• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) - Space Science Division: Large, multi-disciplinary applied research organization with a major Space Science division supporting NASA missions. Comparable to FSI in space science capabilities but is significantly larger, builds flight hardware, and serves commercial clients more directly.

Others

• Space Florida: Florida's state aerospace economic development agency, currently a strategic joint-venture partner to FSI in the Hawking Center. Listed as a peer because Space Florida sits in the same regional space economy network and overlaps with FSI on Florida space-economy development objectives, although it does not perform research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FSI_Orlando
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/florida-space-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/floridaspaceinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Florida Space Institute