Space Policy Chief of the White House, Jinni Meehan, to Give the ISSRDC Keynote Address on the Importance of the Expanding Low Earth Orbit Ecosystem
Jinni Meehan, assistant director for space policy at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), will give a keynote lecture at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSRDC) on space policy in low Earth orbit (LEO). Sustained funding from the federal government and its agencies will allow valuable research and technology development (R&D) that greatly benefits humanity as the ecosystem in LEO continues to mature.
The only conference devoted exclusively to the achievements in science and technology achieved on board the space station and their implications for the expanding economy in low-Earth orbit is ISSRDC. This lunchtime keynote is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston, where the conference will be held from July 29 to August 1.
The President, as well as government departments and agencies, receive guidance from the White House OSTP on how to improve and progress American science and technology. The International Space Station (ISS) is the main hub for American research in low-Earth orbit (LEO), and the research and development carried out there benefits US taxpayers and opens up new avenues for studies that will advance humankind. Meehan will discuss the strategic goals and policy insights of the Biden-Harris Administration for space-based research and development during her speech. She will stress the significance of expanding scientific understanding and exploration on this space station and on future space platforms.
In February 2024, Meehan began working with OSTP as the associate director for space policy. Space weather, Earth observations, planetary defense, planetary protection, low Earth orbit (LEO), orbital debris, microgravity, cislunar space, space situational awareness, astronautics, aeronautics, and in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing are just a few of the topics she covers in her portfolio related to civil and commercial space exploration. She is on detail from the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS), where she has been working since 2018 as the National Space Weather Program Manager. In this role, she has coordinated efforts throughout the federal government and inside NOAA to make sure the country is prepared for space weather. Meehan was in charge of matters pertaining to international, national, regional, and local policies, goods, and services that affect how NWS notifies the public, the space weather enterprise, and its core partners about space weather conditions.
To promote innovation and discovery onboard the International Space Station (ISS), ISSRDC brings together leaders from the commercial sector, U.S. government organizations, and academic institutions. The space station continues to be a useful platform for research and development that advances humankind and fosters a thriving market in low-Earth orbit (LEO), as demonstrated during ISSRDC 2024.
NASA, the American Astronautical Society (AAS), and the Center for the Advancement of Science in SpaceTM (CASISTM) are the conference organizers and hosts, respectively, of the International Space Station National Laboratory®.
Concerning the National Laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS):
The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique laboratory that makes it possible to conduct research and create technologies that are not feasible on Earth. The ISS National Laboratory®, a public service enterprise, enables researchers to take advantage of this multiuser facility to enhance the quality of life on Earth, develop space-based business models, promote science literacy in the next generation of workers, and grow a scalable and sustainable market in low Earth orbit. Research resources aboard the International Space Station (ISS) can be made accessible to help non-NASA scientific, technology, and education efforts from the commercial sector, academic institutions, and U.S. government through this orbiting national laboratory. Under a cooperative agreement with NASA, the Center for the Advancement of Science in SpaceTM (CASISTM) oversees the management of the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory, providing access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a potent vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the harsh and varied environments of space.
