SpaceX Founder Elon Musk Named as Keynote Speaker at the 2017 International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Washington, D.C.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., March 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Space Station Research and Development Conference (ISSR&D) today announced that Elon Musk, CEO and lead designer at Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at its 6th annual meeting at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. from July 17-20, 2017. The ISSR&D Conference was created to connect commercial and academic communities involved in new innovations, breakthroughs, and discoveries onboard humankind's unique orbiting laboratory. This event is held in coordination with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), the American Astronautical Society (AAS), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). 

Founded in 2002 by Musk, SpaceX's mission is to enable humans to become a spacefaring civilization and a multi-planet species by building a self-sustaining city on Mars. In 2008, SpaceX's Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fuel launch vehicle to orbit the Earth. Following that milestone, NASA awarded SpaceX with contracts to carry cargo and crew to the International Space Station (ISS). A global leader in commercial launch services, SpaceX is the first commercial provider to launch and recover a spacecraft from orbit, attach a commercial spacecraft to the ISS and successfully land an orbital-class rocket booster. By pioneering the development of fully and rapidly reusable rockets and spacecraft, SpaceX is dramatically reducing the cost of access to space, the first step in making life on Mars a reality in our lifetime.

Within his role at SpaceX, Musk oversees the development and manufacturing of advanced rockets and spacecraft for missions to and beyond Earth orbit. He is also the co-founder, CEO and product architect of Tesla, which makes electric cars, giant batteries and solar products. He is the co-founder and chairman of OpenAI, a nonprofit research company working to build safe artificial intelligence and ensure that AI's benefits are as widely and evenly distributed as possible.

"We are thrilled to have Elon Musk join the 2017 ISS R&D Conference as a keynote speaker," said CASIS President and Executive Director Gregory H. Johnson. "The ISS R&D Conference truly represents the crossroads of innovation for a growing community of space researchers, partners, investors and technologists. Elon is both an inspiration and a driving force in this exciting market."

CASIS and NASA leadership will also present new opportunities that the ISS can bring to researchers from a variety of scientific disciplines and backgrounds. Current ISS users from across a wide spectrum of commercial and academic entities will have the opportunity to present their findings at the conference. The conference is now accepting calls for abstracts, which can be submitted at: http://www.issconference.org/#abstracts  

Registration for the 2017 conference is now open. To learn more about the 2017 ISSR&D Conference, including how to register, please visit: http://www.issconference.org/ 

About CASIS: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) was selected by NASA in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory. CASIS is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. For more information, visit www.iss-casis.org.

About the ISS National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation's newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users, and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravity setting, vantage point in low Earth orbit, and varied environments of space.

About AAS:  The American Astronautical Society is America's premier network of space professionals, technical and non-technical, dedicated to advancing all space activities.  The Society, founded in 1954, is committed to strengthening the nation's space programs, inspiring the next generation of space professionals and expanding cooperation with international space organizations.

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SOURCE Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS)

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http://www.iss-casis.org