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The George Washington Carver Science Park

As the first science park in space, the George Washington Carver (GWC) Science Park forms the core of Starlab. Named after the great American scientist, the GWC Science Park was founded to honor his legacy of scientific discovery for the benefit of life on Earth.

The GWC Science Park will host core scientific components for astronauts, researchers, students, and commercial companies to use in space, while providing laboratory facilities on Earth for comparing experiment results and streamlining commercial operations. In addition to the core scientific departments – Biology, Plant Habitation, Physical Science, and Materials Science – a portion of the GWC Science Park will be available for sovereign space agencies or commercial customers to place their own payloads and equipment. 

The GWC Science Park is operational today in our first location – on the International Space Station (ISS) – using Nanoracks’ existing hardware and mission management expertise. As the first in-space member of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, the GWC Science Park will provide immediate, agile access to infrastructure in space on the ISS, while allowing for a seamless transition to the Starlab commercial space stations of the future. The GWC Science Park is designed to help you solve humanity’s most pressing challenges.  

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About The GWC Science Park

Using partnerships with leading technological innovators, academic institutions, and research organizations, the GWC Science Park will provide responsive infrastructure in facilities located on Earth, on the ISS, and onboard future commercial space stations.

Our Vision

The GWC Science Park will provide streamlined, agile access to infrastructure in space and on Earth to accelerate discovery and innovation by a global user community.

Our Process

The GWC Science Park will be reconfigurable – allowing for scientific components to be upgraded, replaced, or expanded as researcher requirements change. Nanoracks has developed a specific process for gathering and reacting to academic, industry, and government input.

Our Labs

The GWC Science Park will feature dedicated laboratories for biology, plant habitation, physical sciences, and materials research. There will also be an open workbench area and room for commercial projects.

Your Project

The GWC Science Park model makes it easier for everyone – researchers, students, governments, or commercial companies – to access the microgravity environment for their own activities.

What The GWC Science Park Means For You

Whether you’re a researcher who has never used the microgravity environment before or a seasoned space veteran; a commercial company looking to test components or offer services in space; or a student program looking to inspire the next generation, the George Washington Carver Science Park will help you get to space.

The GWC Science Park Consortium is a network of researchers, institutions, government agencies, and companies interested in utilizing the space environment for innovation. An annual membership fee grants your researchers access to a team with unparalleled microgravity experience who can plan, schedule, and fly your payload to the ISS or Starlab.

  • Join the GWC Consortium and access a global network of researchers and innovators
  • Design an experiment or mission with input from microgravity experts
  • Unlock funding and grants from governments and investors
  • Visit the Terrestrial Analog facility to plan your operations, gather initial data, and experience the Starlab space station
  • Watch your payload travel to the International Space Station or Starlab, live, as Nanoracks Mission Managers handle all the logistics
  • Use GWC resources for publishing your results, commercializing your technology on Starlab, or growing your program with future iterations
  • Change the world with your innovations, the way you do best

Founding Partners

zin logo
Component Developer
OSU Logo
Director, University Consortium & Terrestrial Analog
logo dreamup
STEM Education Advisor
starlab oasis logo
AgTech Advisor
  • The noise is awesome and the excitement is electric as the huge slender rocket rises majestically to meet its destiny in outer space. It is a dramatic moment for mankind; a triumph for science. Yet the irony remains: in his bold leap to the stars, man must rely on synthetic substances whose origins can be traced to the humble farm.

    David Manber
    The Wizard of Tuskegee, The Life of George Washington Carver