Association of Space Explorers USA

What it reported doing in 2024

Planetary Stewardship: Windows on Earth: Windows on Earth features the vast collection of photos and movies taken by astronauts on the ISS. ASE, with support from NASA and the Crew Earth Observation facility, established and maintain ASE's own image library, provide a friendly public front-end (WindowsOnEarth.org), and use these photos in creative ways. Since 2005, this work has been funded by a series of NSF and NASA grants, creating museum exhibits, curriculum guides, teacher training and innovative technical development. Now ASE will take some bold steps to greatly expand public access and educational use of these resources, through an ambitious partnership with the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and its Supercomputer Center (SDSC). It builds on prior collaborations with UCSD, and their enthusiasm and expertise to take Windows on Earth to new levels of access and the potential for much larger reach. This partnership will also provide some powerful new tools for ASE members, as the original astronauts, artists and scientists who took these photos of Earth.Earth Music Theater: ASE manages an archive of images and photos of Earth taken by astronauts (from NASA, all images are in the public domain). ASE works with over 40 musicians, who provide their music for these movies. ASE works with the musicians to select Earth views that align with the music. ASE posts all movies at no cost on the Earthmusicheater.org website and ASE social media channels. ASE also partners with UCTV (University of California TV) to broadcast new movies each Friday. Similarly, the musicians can freely post their movie(s) for public enjoyment. ASE also works with musicians to do live performances of Earth music, at venues around the world, including Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Boston Music of Science, BachFest Leipzig Germany, Imax in Leonberg Germany, and multiple other venues.Space Traffic Management / Orbital Debris: ASE's Committee on Space Traffic Management / Orbital Debris works with the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and other stakeholders to develop best practices for the management and mitigation of space debris objects. In addition to UN COPUOS, the Committee engages with international space agencies, the Hague Institute for Global Justice, The Paris Peace Forum, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and other nonprofit organizations to promote the continued reduction of space debris, to Improve access to timely and accurate data on space objects down to the lethal debris limit and to improve information sharing on a routine basis to strengthen global space traffic coordination mechanisms.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 46.1%; rating input score 46
• Program expense ratio: 57.3%; rating input score 57
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 26.1%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.59; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 51.3%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -8% per year; rating input score 0; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings