Above: NASA astronaut Jessica Meir working with a BioServe-designed experiments on the International Space Station.
Header Image: Members of NASA, the BioServe team, students, and associates following the award presentation.

BioServe Space Technologies has earned a rare NASA accolade.

The University of Colorado Boulder research center is being recognized for decades of contributions to the International Space Station with a NASA Space Flight Awareness Supplier Award.

The honor is only bestowed on rare occasions, with the most recent recipients in 2024 and 2018.

The award recognizes BioServe’s “outstanding contributions and unbridled success advancing space exploration and scientific discovery.”

The center, housed within the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, has been designing, building, and flying microgravity life science research experiments and hardware since 1987, with six payloads launching less than two months ago.

Government space agencies, universities, and private companies frequently contract with BioServe to take advantage of the center’s extensive experience in space research.

“This award means a lot to us. We are who we are today because of all the work the people of BioServe have done since our inception in 1987. This recognizes everyone and I’m honored and proud to be a part of this group,” said BioServe Director Stefanie Countryman.

As both a research facility and educational center, BioServe employs full-time staff and students to advance their work. In addition to hardware development, BioServe also conducts live uplinks with orbiting astronauts to walk them through experiments. 

Ryan Landon, NASA director of utilization for low Earth orbit, was one of three agency representatives who presented the award in person at CU Boulder on June 30. She commended BioServe’s work as a NASA contractor.

“We have 20-something commercial space providers. These guys have been doing it the longest and are the standard that we look to,” Landon said.

Stephen McGrath, NASA’s manager of mission safety and assurance for low Earth orbit, echoed those remarks. 

“What I’ve seen BioServe do to push the boundaries is just amazing,” McGrath said.