The Ohio State University will serve as the lead partner for the first-ever science park devoted to space research. Voyager Space announced today it has selected a proposal from the University, the State of Ohio, JobsOhio, and One Columbus ("Team Ohio") to host the terrestrial analog of the George Washington Carver Science Park (GWCSP) at Ohio State. The analog laboratory will be a replica of the Starlab space station science park and allows researchers to test missions and conduct parallel experiments on the ground. Illustration of multifunctional space station Starlab in flight Illustration of multifunctional space station Starlab in flight The GWCSP, established by Voyager and its operating company Nanoracks, is a core element of Starlab, the companies’ future commercial space station. In December 2021, Voyager and Nanoracks won a $160 million Space Act Agreement from NASA to design Starlab as part of their Commercial Destination Free Flyers (CDFF) project. The GWCSP is the world's first-ever science park in space, operating today on the International Space Station. "We have only just begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities and opportunities that await us in the ‘final frontier,’ and our ability to maximize future exploration hinges on collaboration between scientists and industry experts," said Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson. "Locating the terrestrial lab of the George Washington Carver Science Park at Ohio State will be the best possible way to facilitate this joint effort and ensure we are sharing resources, research and knowledge across multiple disciplines." The research conducted at the GWCSP terrestrial lab will generate positive social, economic, educational and quality-of-life outcomes for a broad range of constituents, in particular, the Ohio agriculture community. Some of these benefits include research to preserve Ohio’s water quality, improve crop genetics and production efficiency, and enhance animal health for Ohio’s agricultural community. "The George Washington Carver Science Park is a wonderful example of the powerful synergies that Ohio offers to commercial space ventures," said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. "This landmark partnership at the intersection of aerospace and agriculture is extraordinary. Together, we will accelerate transformational aerospace technologies as Ohio continues to lead this nation into the Aerospace Age of the 21st Century." The effort will begin this year with a facility at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. This facility is also home to the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Next year, the organizations plan to break ground on a stand-alone facility on the Ohio State Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus, home to the university airport, Ohio State’s Aerospace Research Center, Austin E. Knowlton Executive Terminal & Aviation Learning Center, and a range of corporate, government and private aviation and aerospace activities. "Ohio is the birthplace of aviation and has a deep-rooted history in aerospace and defense innovation," said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Voyager Space. "It’s clear that Ohio offers the most beneficial location for a terrestrial facility to support the long-term success and utilization of George Washington Carver Science Park. Company researchers, operators, visionaries, and space change makers in Ohio will have the ability to influence and inspire organizations pursuing aerospace research and development and we are thrilled to be partnering with Team Ohio on this exciting project." "By collaborating with Team Ohio, Voyager Space will launch one of the most creative public-private partnerships in one of the most sought-after space destinations on this planet," said Professor John Horack, Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy at Ohio State. "We know this facility will transform into a broader commercial space research magnet that serves as the primary North American site for the George Washington Carver Science Park." Ohio State researchers, including students, are already excited about the opportunity. Nicholas Nastasi, a PhD student in Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Karen Danemiller's lab, said his research focuses on modeling microbial growth in dust collected from the International Space Station to gain insight into how microorganisms react during actual spaceflight. The research will inform future human-occupied spaceflight beyond low-Earth orbit for spacecraft and astronaut safety. "The Starlab and Ohio State partnership is incredibly exciting," Nastasi said. "This partnership will give current and future students unprecedented access to space-related research. Space has a great ability to inspire, and this collaboration will no doubt inspire students to literally reach for the stars." Cassidy Brozovich, a senior in the food, agricultural and biological engineering program, is researching the design of 3D printed substrates to grow plants in space. Brozovich said the substrate is recyclable and that the designs are customizable to tailor to each plant’s needs. "By having the terrestrial analog lab at Ohio State, I will be able to design an experiment to test my models in space. The opportunity to work on something so cutting edge is both overwhelming and exciting," she said. "This also gives Ohio State the unique opportunity to become a leader in the space industry through this project." The George Washington Carver Science Park honors the legacy of the famed American agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of food products and practical, sustainable farming methods. The science park is the first space-dedicated member of the International Association of Science Parks, a catalyst for global participation in the space research ecosystem.

A new NASA-funded program is developing a new generation of commercially based, human-occupied space stations. And CFAES, through Ohio State, is one of many partners helping to play a role in it. The multimillion-dollar program, led by the Nanoracks commercial space company, will design and deploy the Starlab commercial space station, whose core will be the first science park in space, the George Washington Carver (GWC) Science Park. Ohio State, as the program’s lead university partner, will support the development and coordination of university research in the space station and science park, will host and operate a ground-based “control lab” for agricultural and other research aboard the facility, and will serve as a research gateway and catalyst for other potential users. “Starlab is an opportunity for transformational Leadership and partnership with the commercial space sector in cutting-edge research, across a wide range of domains,” Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson said. “It builds on Ohio State’s strengths in industry research and leverages our existing research capabilities to support NASA’s priorities for the development and commercialization of low-Earth orbit. It is incredibly exciting for Ohio State to have this opportunity to engage in transformational leadership and partnership with the commercial space sector while building on and leveraging our strengths in industry research.” Researchers from the College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, and CFAES, among others, will be involved in the program from Ohio State. Among them will be controlled environment agriculture experts Peter Ling and Scott Shearer of the CFAES Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering; Chieri Kubota of the CFAES Department of Horticulture and Crop Science; and Christopher Taylor of the CFAES Department of Plant Pathology. Research aboard Starlab will focus on areas including biology, physical science, materials research, and plant and agricultural science. The focus on in-space and terrestrial agriculture is a unique feature of the program and showcases Ohio State’s strengths in interdisciplinary research. “The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is excited to host and operate the ground-based control lab for agricultural research aboard the Starlab/GWC Science Park and assist in advancing in-space and terrestrial agriculture,” said Ohio State Vice President for Agricultural Administration and CFAES Dean Cathann A. Kress. “Agriculture is entering a digital revolution. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to advancing controlled environment agriculture and affirms we are leading the way.”

The Ohio State University is the lead university partner of a multimillion dollar NASA-funded effort to develop a new generation of commercially based, human-occupied space stations. Ohio State research and innovation will support the Starlab commercial space station. Starlab is led by Nanoracks, a commercial space company dedicated to providing commercial access to space. Starlab’s partner organizations include Voyager Space (majority shareholder in Nanoracks), Lockheed Martin, Ohio-based Zin Technologies, the Universities Space Research Association and the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation. Nanoracks has been awarded a $160 million Space Act Agreement by NASA to design and deploy the Starlab commercial space station, which will host the space-based George Washington Carver (GWC) Science Park as part of the agency’s Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development program. Starlab supports NASA’s initiative to stimulate the commercial space economy and provide science and crew capabilities prior to the retirement of the International Space Station (ISS). “Starlab is an opportunity for transformational leadership and partnership with the commercial space sector in cutting-edge research, across a wide range of domains,” said President Kristina M. Johnson. “It builds on Ohio State’s strengths in industry research and leverages our existing research capabilities to support NASA’s priorities for the development and commercialization of low-Earth orbit. It is incredibly exciting for Ohio State to have this opportunity to engage in transformational leadership and partnership with the commercial space sector while building on and leveraging our strengths in industry research.” Starlab and the GWC Science Park will focus on a range of research areas, including biology, plant and agricultural science, physical science and materials research. Researchers will have an opportunity to advance in-space and terrestrial agriculture; materials and manufacturing for spaceflight; artificial intelligence; and space-based remote sensing. “Ohio State’s strengths and expertise across these domain areas, as well as its role as a leading land-grant research university, make it an excellent choice to serve Starlab as the lead university partner in this exciting program,” said Grace Wang, executive vice president for the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge. The focus on in-space and terrestrial agriculture is a unique feature of the effort and showcases Ohio State’s strengths in interdisciplinary research. “The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is excited to host and operate the ground-based ‘control lab’ for agricultural research aboard the Starlab/GWC Science Park and assist in advancing in-space and terrestrial agriculture,” said Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of CFAES Cathann A. Kress. “Agriculture is entering a digital revolution – this partnership demonstrates our commitment to advancing controlled environment agriculture and affirms we are poised to lead the way.” “Spaceflight is simply one of the most compelling contexts in which to pursue a wide range of cutting-edge research activities, from AI and robotics to materials and microbiology,” said Ayanna Howard, dean of the College of Engineering. “Combining Ohio State engineering and research capabilities with those from collaborators around the globe, especially at the intersections of disciplines, will help bring forth an exciting future of activities in low-Earth orbit.” As the lead university partner, Ohio State will: Support development and coordination of all university research aboard Starlab/ GWC Science Park. Host and operate the ground-based “control lab” for agricultural and other research aboard Starlab/GWC Science Park. Serve as a research gateway and catalyst for other potential users, including sovereign space programs and global private-sector industry. “This collaboration will help the state of Ohio build further upon our long heritage of advancing the future of spaceflight, continuing in the tradition of John Glenn and Neil Armstrong,” said John M. Horack, Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy and lead researcher for the Starlab collaboration. “One can perhaps think of Starlab and the GWC Science Park as integrating many of the strengths of Ohio State’s research infrastructure and campus to the location of low-Earth orbit.” Ohio State is positioned to receive significant funding to start up university operations. Research work is expected to involve the College of Engineering, CFAES and the College of Arts and Sciences, along with key research centers, faculty, staff and students.

The Ohio State University will serve as the lead partner for the first-ever science park devoted to space research. Voyager Space announced today it has selected a proposal from the university, the State of Ohio, JobsOhio, and One Columbus (“Team Ohio”) to host the terrestrial analog of the George Washington Carver Science Park (GWCSP) at Ohio State. The analog laboratory will be a replica of the Starlab space station science park and allows researchers to test missions and conduct parallel experiments on the ground. The GWCSP, established by Voyager and its operating company Nanoracks, is a core element of Starlab, the companies’ future commercial space station. In December 2021, Voyager and Nanoracks won a $160 million Space Act Agreement from NASA to design Starlab as part of their Commercial Destination Free Flyers (CDFF) project. The GWCSP is the world's first-ever science park in space, operating today on the International Space Station. "We have only just begun to scratch the surface of the possibilities and opportunities that await us in the ‘final frontier,’ and our ability to maximize future exploration hinges on collaboration between scientists and industry experts,” said Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson. “Locating the terrestrial lab of the George Washington Carver Science Park at Ohio State will be the best possible way to facilitate this joint effort and ensure we are sharing resources, research and knowledge across multiple disciplines." The research conducted at the GWCSP terrestrial lab will generate positive social, economic, educational and quality-of-life outcomes for a broad range of constituents, in particular, the Ohio agriculture community. Some of these benefits include research to preserve Ohio’s water quality, improve crop genetics and production efficiency, and enhance animal health for Ohio’s agricultural community. “The George Washington Carver Science Park is a wonderful example of the powerful synergies that Ohio offers to commercial space ventures,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “This landmark partnership at the intersection of aerospace and agriculture is extraordinary. Together, we will accelerate transformational aerospace technologies as Ohio continues to lead this nation into the Aerospace Age of the 21st Century.” The effort will begin this year with a facility at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. This facility is also home to the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Next year, the organizations plan to break ground on a stand-alone facility on the Ohio State Aerospace and Air Transportation Campus, home to the university airport, Ohio State’s Aerospace Research Center, Knowlton Executive Flight Terminal and Education Center, and a range of corporate, government and private aviation and aerospace activities. “Ohio is the birthplace of aviation and has a deep-rooted history in aerospace and defense innovation,” said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Voyager Space. “It’s clear that Ohio offers the most beneficial location for a terrestrial facility to support the long-term success and utilization of George Washington Carver Science Park. Company researchers, operators, visionaries, and space change makers in Ohio will have the ability to influence and inspire organizations pursuing aerospace research and development and we are thrilled to be partnering with Team Ohio on this exciting project.” “By collaborating with Team Ohio, Voyager Space will launch one of the most creative public-private partnerships in one of the most sought-after space destinations on this planet,” said John Horack, Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy at Ohio State. “We know this facility will transform into a broader commercial space research magnet that serves as the primary North American site for the George Washington Carver Science Park.” Ohio State researchers, including students, are already excited about the opportunity. Nicholas Nastasi, a PhD student in the environmental science graduate program, said his research focuses on modeling microbial growth in dust collected from the International Space Station to gain insight into how microorganisms react during actual spaceflight. The research will inform future human-occupied spaceflight beyond low-Earth orbit for spacecraft and astronaut safety. “The Starlab and Ohio State partnership is incredibly exciting,” Nastasi said. “This partnership will give current and future students unprecedented access to space-related research. Space has a great ability to inspire, and this collaboration will no doubt inspire students to literally reach for the stars.” Cassidy Brozovich, a senior in the food, agricultural and biological engineering program, is researching the design of 3D printed substrates to grow plants in space. Brozovich said the substrate is recyclable and that the designs are customizable to tailor to each plant’s needs. “By having the terrestrial analog lab at Ohio State, I will be able to design an experiment to test my models in space. The opportunity to work on something so cutting edge is both overwhelming and exciting,” she said. “This also gives Ohio State the unique opportunity to become a leader in the space industry through this project.” The George Washington Carver Science Park honors the legacy of the famed American agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of food products and practical, sustainable farming methods. The science park is the first space-dedicated member of the International Association of Science Parks, a catalyst for global participation in the space research ecosystem.

Students, researchers and leaders from The Ohio State University as well as business and community leaders recently helped open the temporary home of the George Washington Carver Science Park’s (GWCSP) Starlab terrestrial analog facility. The lab, located in the Agricultural Engineering Building on the Columbus campus, marks the launch of the first-ever science park devoted to space research. The space park is a collaboration between Voyager Space, Ohio State, the State of Ohio, JobsOhio and One Columbus, and will house a replica laboratory of the Starlab space station developed by Nanoracks and associated facilities, enabling researchers to prepare, evaluate, validate and test spaceflight experiments, and conduct parallel research on the ground. “This partnership that we have at The Ohio State University with Starlab and the George Washington Carver Science Park will produce numerous opportunities for research, for outreach and extension and collaboration,” said Cathann Kress, vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. “Not just for our college, not just for the College of Engineering, but for all of The Ohio State University and the greater Ohio agricultural research community and other components of the state of Ohio.” “As the commercial space industry grows, the university is committed to supporting it. Creating opportunity is what we do best,” said Hiroyuki Fujita, chair of the university Board of Trustees. “Ohio State is one of the top destinations in the country for industry-sponsored research funding.” Research conducted at the GWCSP terrestrial facility will involve the College of Engineering, CFAES, the College of Medicine and the College of Arts and Sciences, along with key research centers, faculty, staff and students from across Ohio State. Some of the research will focus on ways to preserve Ohio’s water quality, improve crop genetics and production efficiency, and enhance animal health for Ohio’s agricultural community. The collaboration between researchers across the university as well as in government and industry makes the new science park an exciting opportunity. “One of the things that makes Ohio State so special, and you see it here today, is our approach to research, research that doesn’t simply sit on the shelf or in a journal,” said Peter Mohler, interim executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge. “[It’s] research that is based on market needs, research that is curiosity-driven but solutions-oriented.” “Agriculture and aerospace continue to be huge growth industries, and the past decade has seen unprecedented investment and accelerated investment in aerospace into the market of commercial space flight,” said John M. Horack, Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy and lead researcher for the Starlab collaboration. “This has opened, and I think it’s opened in a figurative and literal sense, an entirely new frontier for exploration, research, education and fulfillment of key national objectives.” Kenny McDonald, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, said the collaboration between Ohio State, as well as state and local partners and industry leaders, offers an exciting opportunity for the region. "This is a project of global significance, and we're proud that it is being executed here in Ohio," he said. In the future, the GWCSP will operate in a stand-alone facility on the Ohio State Aerospace and Air Transportation Campus, home to the university airport, Ohio State’s Aerospace Research Center, Knowlton Executive Flight Terminal and Education Center, and a range of corporate, government and private aviation and aerospace activities. Jeffrey Manber, president of International and Space Stations at Voyager Space, said the name of the science park was no accident. It honors the legacy of the famed American agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of food products and practical, sustainable farming methods. Manber compared the partnership with Ohio State with the partnership between Rice University and NASA, which eventually established the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. “Here we are in a non-traditional space location with another great university [leasing] land, not to the government. … It’s not to a government, but it’s to commercial. It’s to the private sector,” he said. “And we’re not using it to build up infrastructure. We’re using it to build up the knowledge base, the research base, the breakthroughs.” Horack said the grand opening was the start of a new space age that would include Ohio State at the center of new research and innovation. “Today we’re marking the beginning of a decades-long journey that will transform the landscape of Ohio State, the state of Ohio and the world through the pursuit of social, economic and educational quality of life outcomes that all leverage commercial space flight.”