Universities Space Research Association

Origin[edit]

USRA was founded in 1969, at NASA's request, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences. Just prior to the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and the return of the lunar samples, NASA sought a new partner organization to engage and organize the research community. James Webb, NASA Administrator, wrote to President Frederick Seitz, proposing a university association, chartered to advance space science and technology. The result: the formation of USRA. Webb envisioned this new association as not only working with NASA in lunar science, but also in other scientific disciplines and technology areas, in which NASA would become engaged, as its space exploration role unfolded.


As the civilian space program grew to encompass missions in heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, Earth science, microgravity science, and other disciplines, as well as technology development, USRA worked alongside NASA. All the efforts under taken by USRA from its founding to the present day fulfil its non-profit purpose and also realize Webb's vision of close partnership and engagement of universities.


USRA's first task: operation of the Lunar Science Institute and engaging the scientific community in the analysis of lunar samples that would be returned to Earth during the Apollo missions. Now called the Lunar and Planetary Institute, the LPI cultivated strong collaboration between NASA and the international research community to help organize a new research discipline: lunar and planetary science. The LPI helped lead research that resulted in a new understanding about the origin of the Moon. Today, the LPI, located in USRA's facility near NASA's Johnson Space Center, continues the important job of organizing community activities to support NASA's exploration of the Solar System, with a specialized scientific and administrative staff.