Space Policy Research Center (SPRC)
Leadership: Riley Houser, Jackson Parrott
The Space Policy Research Center – abbreviated SPRC, or “Spark” – is dedicated to uniting diverse perspectives to create dynamic, original research in the field of space policy.
What We Do
Founded in 2023, undergraduates studying fields that span the breadth of STEM and humanities work in teams with mentors from academic, commercial, and defense spheres and present their research at conferences around the United States.
First Year Results
In its inaugural year, SPRC received over $8,000 of NASA-sponsored funding, used to send students to conferences in Colorado Springs, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C.
Great Partnerships
Past partners have included the USSF Space Domain Awareness TAP Lab, the US Air Force Academy, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Hacking for Defense. SPRC continues to push the envelope, working towards collaboration on an international level and striving to understand and solve the challenges that face humanity in the final frontier.
Ava Schwarz and Jackson Parrott at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
Ava Schwarz and Jackson Parrott with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano at the 2025 European Space Conference.
Presenting at the National Security Strategies Studies Partnership (N3SP) and meeting Chief Master Sergeant Bruce - Command Senior Enlisted Leader, USCYBERCOM.
Meeting Dr. Erica Rodgers – the director of advanced programs for NASA’s OTPS – at NASA HQ in Washington, D.C.
Attending the 2024 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO.
The Space Law and Policy Compliance Team holding their completed poster before a presentation in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Ava Schwarz and Jackson Parrott at the headquarters of the European Space Policy Initiative in Vienna.
PAST & PRESENT PARTNERS, MENTORS, AND SPONSORS