The Interstellar Spatio-analytic Bureau is an agency in Isaac Asimov's Empire series.
About the I.S.B.[]
The Interstellar Spatio-analytic Bureau (I.S.B.) is a Galactic scientific agency responsible for the study of spatial phenomena. A neutral body in theory, the I.S.B. is dedicated to the advancement of Spatio-analysis, a field encompassing cosmology and stellar physics. Its personnel, known as Spatio-analysts, often conduct long, solitary tours of duty in deep space. The Bureau's mandate is interstellar, but in practice, it must operate within the jurisdictions of sovereign planets, which can lead to political friction. The novel details the Bureau's efforts, spearheaded by Dr. Selim Junz, to locate one of its missing field agents. This agent had sent an urgent message about a Galactic danger related to Florina before vanishing, leading Junz to suspect a cover-up by the Sarkite government. The Bureau's investigation, which involved searching library records for unauthorized access to Spatio-analytic texts, ultimately forced a confrontation with the Great Squires of Sark and revealed the agent's critical theory about the impending nova of Florina's sun. The I.S.B.'s credibility and insistence were pivotal in proving the threat and compelling the evacuation of the planet.