Universities Space Research Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To provide a collaborative membership organization where universities and other research organizations may cooperate effectively with each other, with the United States government, and other entities to develop knowledge associated with space science and technology
- Income
- $50.5 million
- Spending
- $53.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 92%
- Employees
- 283
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $806,311, former president and ceo (end jan 25)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (science, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $11.7 million spent. The Air Force research laboratory (afrl) future scholars stem offers stipend-paid internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate-level university students pursuing stem degree, as well as upper-level high school students; select locations also offer internships to unversity students persuing education-related degrees and k-12 professional educators. the selected interns gain valuable hands-on experience working iwth full-time afrl scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology and are able to contribute to unique, research-based projects. graduate interns are able to collaborate with afrl on current research and incorporate the research into their graduate work. (Expenses $ 9,301,436 including grants of $ 736,094)(Revenue $ 3,297,981) RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE (RIACS): THE RIACS IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL FACILITATE BOTH HUMAN AND ROBOTIC SPACE EXPLORATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, THE INSTITUTE HAS CONDUCTED BASIC AND APPLIED COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH ACROSS A VARIETY OF AEROSPACE-RELATED DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING SUPERCOMPUTING, COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS, COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, HIGH-PERFORMANCE NETWORKING, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. NASA Academic Mission Services (NAMS) contract to deliver new concepts, tools and technologies related to aeronautics, science and aeroflightdynamics. This five-year agreement for a $193 million award launches an integrated multi-year research effort to be conducted at NASA's Ames Research Center, which ranges from fundamental research and development through field test deployments and operational science missions. the low-gravity science program at nasa's glenn research center continues to achieve mission success on numerous flight experiments on the international space station (iss) and other suborbital platforms while also supporting ground-based r&d that is often the precursor of future iss flight experiments. E street technologies llc (ESt) is a for-for profit organization with small business designation, created to support USRA's mission of advancing science and technology for the benefit of the public. The glenn engineering and reasearch support (GEARS) provides engineering, research and scientific support for communications and intelligent systems, power, propulsion, materials and structures, and systems engineering and architecture.. The program is vital for the development and evaluation of technologies in space and aeronautics, including specialized work in quantum technologies and electric propulsion. CENTER FOR SPACE NUCLEAR RESEARCH (CSNR): THE CSNR IS OPERATED BY USRA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY to foster collaboration with department of energy, nasa, department of defense, university and industry scientists and programs. CSNR scientists and engineers research and develop advanced space nuclear systems, including power and energy transmission systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, and radioisotopic generators. The Earth from Space Institute (EfSI) is dedicated to building the science that responds to urgent sustainable development challenges across climate, disasters, and energy systems.
- $10.7 million spent. LUNAR & PLANETARY INSTITUTE (LPI) SUPPORTS NASA'S RESEARCH IN LUNAR, PLANETARY, AND RELATED SCIENTIFIC FIELDS. THE INSTITUTE IS A CENTER FOR LUNAR AND PLANETARY SCIENCE, CONDUCTING RESEARCH STUDIES ON THE FORMATION, EVOLUTION, AND CURRENT STATE OF THE MOON, PLANETS, COMETS, ASTEROIDS, PLANETARY SATELLITES, COSMIC DUST, AND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AS AWHOLE THROUGH ANALYSIS OF DATA AND SAMPLES OBTAINED THROUGH NASA'S LONG HISTORY OF MISSIONS AND EXPLORATION, SERVICE TO NASA AND THE PLANETARY SCIENCE COMMUNITY. THE INSTITUTE COORDINATES SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS ON LUNAR AND PLANETARY TOPICS, AND DISSEMINATES SCIENTIFIC INFORMATIONTHROUGH TECHNICAL JOURNALS AND CONFERENCES, INCLUDING AN ABSTRACT DATABASE OF MORE THAN 25,000 PRESENTATIONS MADE BY SCIENTISTS ATLPI-SPONSORED MEETINGS. THE INSTITUTE ALSO CURATES AN EXTENSIVECOLLECTION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY DATA THAT IS ACCESSIBLE ONLINE.
- $8.9 million spent. Science and technology institute (sti) in huntsville, al employes a dedicated workforce of approximately 30 scientists, engineers, postdocs, and interns in research areas of astrophysics, earth sciences, and heliophysics. Sti operations are co-located with the nasa marshall space flight center (MSFC) science research office in the national spacie science and technology center (nsstc) located at the university of alabama in huntsville. (Expenses $ 9,301,436 including grants of $ 736,094)(Revenue $ 3,297,981) RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE (RIACS): THE RIACS IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL FACILITATE BOTH HUMAN AND ROBOTIC SPACE EXPLORATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, THE INSTITUTE HAS CONDUCTED BASIC AND APPLIED COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH ACROSS A VARIETY OF AEROSPACE-RELATED DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING SUPERCOMPUTING, COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS, COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, HIGH-PERFORMANCE NETWORKING, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. NASA Academic Mission Services (NAMS) contract to deliver new concepts, tools and technologies related to aeronautics, science and aeroflightdynamics. This five-year agreement for a $193 million award launches an integrated multi-year research effort to be conducted at NASA's Ames Research Center, which ranges from fundamental research and development through field test deployments and operational science missions. the low-gravity science program at nasa's glenn research center continues to achieve mission success on numerous flight experiments on the international space station (iss) and other suborbital platforms while also supporting ground-based r&d that is often the precursor of future iss flight experiments. E street technologies llc (ESt) is a for-for profit organization with small business designation, created to support USRA's mission of advancing science and technology for the benefit of the public. The glenn engineering and reasearch support (GEARS) provides engineering, research and scientific support for communications and intelligent systems, power, propulsion, materials and structures, and systems engineering and architecture.. The program is vital for the development and evaluation of technologies in space and aeronautics, including specialized work in quantum technologies and electric propulsion. CENTER FOR SPACE NUCLEAR RESEARCH (CSNR): THE CSNR IS OPERATED BY USRA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY to foster collaboration with department of energy, nasa, department of defense, university and industry scientists and programs. CSNR scientists and engineers research and develop advanced space nuclear systems, including power and energy transmission systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, and radioisotopic generators. The Earth from Space Institute (EfSI) is dedicated to building the science that responds to urgent sustainable development challenges across climate, disasters, and energy systems.
- $9.3 million spent. RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE (RIACS): THE RIACS IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL FACILITATE BOTH HUMAN AND ROBOTIC SPACE EXPLORATION. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1983, THE INSTITUTE HAS CONDUCTED BASIC AND APPLIED COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH ACROSS A VARIETY OF AEROSPACE-RELATED DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING SUPERCOMPUTING, COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS, COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, HIGH-PERFORMANCE NETWORKING, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. NASA Academic Mission Services (NAMS) contract to deliver new concepts, tools and technologies related to aeronautics, science and aeroflightdynamics. This five-year agreement for a $193 million award launches an integrated multi-year research effort to be conducted at NASA's Ames Research Center, which ranges from fundamental research and development through field test deployments and operational science missions. the low-gravity science program at nasa's glenn research center continues to achieve mission success on numerous flight experiments on the international space station (iss) and other suborbital platforms while also supporting ground-based r&d that is often the precursor of future iss flight experiments. E street technologies llc (ESt) is a for-for profit organization with small business designation, created to support USRA's mission of advancing science and technology for the benefit of the public. The glenn engineering and reasearch support (GEARS) provides engineering, research and scientific support for communications and intelligent systems, power, propulsion, materials and structures, and systems engineering and architecture.. The program is vital for the development and evaluation of technologies in space and aeronautics, including specialized work in quantum technologies and electric propulsion. CENTER FOR SPACE NUCLEAR RESEARCH (CSNR): THE CSNR IS OPERATED BY USRA IN COLLABORATION WITH THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY to foster collaboration with department of energy, nasa, department of defense, university and industry scientists and programs. CSNR scientists and engineers research and develop advanced space nuclear systems, including power and energy transmission systems, nuclear thermal propulsion, and radioisotopic generators. The Earth from Space Institute (EfSI) is dedicated to building the science that responds to urgent sustainable development challenges across climate, disasters, and energy systems.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1969.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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