USRA works as a member of research teams with member universities in both lead and supporting roles, depending upon the program or project being staffed. Some universities have technical abilities, but lack all of the necessary resources to pursue large space-related research programs in a competitive environment. USRA membership can provide universities and with opportunities to participate in funded research projects that they might not otherwise be able to pursue.

In addition to our usual activities to encourage and develop collaborations among our member universities and between our members and NASA, USRA has developed two programs that are designed specifically to stimulate the involvement of university, private-sector, and government researchers and technologists—including students—in short- and long-term collaborative efforts among space-related disciplines:

• The Advancement of Engineering Technical Excellence and Technology Development (AETETD) Program, a link for collaborations among engineers, scientists, and technologists at the Marshall Space Flight Center and researchers in universities, industry, and other governmental agencies; and
• The Visiting Researcher Exchange and Outreach Program (VREO), a partnership between USRA and the Marshall Space Flight Center Office of Human Capital's Academic Affairs Office that facilitates research visits between university, private-industry, and other governmental agency researchers and NASA scientists and engineers.

Here are some examples of USRA's ability to bring together the academic community, private industry, and government personnel to develop and manage space-related research and technology development programs:

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

Nine instruments are currently being developed for SOFIA. These first-generation instruments include three facility-class science instruments (FSI), five principal investigator-class science instruments (PSI) and one special-purpose principal investigator-class science instrument (SSI). USRA member institutions—the University of Chicago, Cornell University, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Texas, and California Institute of Technology—are leading five of the nine instruments.

National Center for Space Exploration Research (NCSER)

The NCSER is jointly managed by Case Western Reserve University and USRA. Its Director is a CWRU professor, and many CWRU researchers are working on behalf of USRA and the NASA Glenn Research Center, either on site or at their University facilities.

Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST)

CRESST is a joint collaboration between USRA and the University of Maryland campuses at College Park and Baltimore County. Managed by the USRA Columbia office, CRESST supports astrophysics scientific programs as well as visiting scientist and other special programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC)

In partnership with the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH), USRA provides research and other support to the NSSTC at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. USRA's Earth science and collaborative research and study programs are headed by a UAH professor, and a number of UAH and other member university scientists are working on these projects at the NSSTC and at their home institutions.

The Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS)

RIACS has a strong relationship with many USRA member universities in the U.S. and abroad. Its researchers have been located at institutions as diverse as the California Polytechnic State University, Southampton University, the University of Miami, the University of Minnesota, West Virginia University, and the Université Catholique de Louvain.