NASA: Spinning Off Tech or Pork?

wired ^ | 3 Dec 02 | Erik Baard

[RightWhale]

NASA's behind-the-scenes technical wizardry in the movie Apollo 13 has surely inspired many with the thought, "If only they could apply that know-how to a closet freshener!"

Well, thanks to a recently expanded NASA initiative called the Space Alliance Technology Outreach, a group of space engineers are doing just that and more.

[RightWhale]

B . . b . . .but what about Tang?

Be good and drink your citric

[spoiled13brat14]

I do somewhat understand what your saying but... I don't understand the the second paragraph it doesn't make quite a lot of sense if you could can you mail me and tell me more about what you are talking about!!!I would appritiate it! Thanks!!!

[RightWhale]

I couldn't find a working link to SATO. I am sceptical of the utility of NASA outreach programs and their other privatizing initiatives. Also, the article is not mine.

[Frank_Discussion]

SATOP is just a way to get solutions out to small businesses that don't have the resources the big boys use. It's meant to spread newer technology and design techniques to more users. A leg up to entreprenuers and local entities.

NASA and even NSF are often questioned on their practicality, when their missions don't deal all that heavily on practical matters. Then, of course, when the science is actually funded to spread beyond the boundaries of the original research, people scream "Government waste! Government waste! pork barrels!"

Nobody is ever happy...

Maybe I can make you happy today - Here's the link:

http://www.spacetechsolutions.com/index.asp

[RightWhale]

Thanks for the link.

I don't favor Federal grants for much of anything. Even though I believe government's place, one of its proper uses, is to fund science and development on the national level, I don't favor grants to the private sector, nor to State and Local governments. Disaster relief would be appropriate in some cases.

NASA shouldn't have any grants programs except for the usual few scholarships. Contracts for work to be done directly for NASA can go to the private sector or state universities, that isn't a problem. NASA should be putting all its effort into exploring outer space and aeronautics and developing space infrastructure. Passing tech along to the private sector can be done easily through publishing reports. In other words, these outreach programs aren't necessary and could be construed as pork.

[Frank_Discussion]

"NASA should be putting all its effort into exploring outer space and aeronautics and developing space infrastructure."

I believe SATOP is a contractor-adminstered system. NASA's not doing anything other than contractually allowing the Boeings and Lockheeds to use sometimes idle resources to spread tech knowledge. That's how I understand it, anyhow...

"Passing tech along to the private sector can be done easily through publishing reports."

This is not always true. Imagine you have a very good idea, you've engineered it, modeled it in a computer system, but it needs a complex analysis that you do not have the skills to perform or the funds to obtain. SATOP can make that piece of the puzzle come together, using a person that may otherwise will get paid whether they are actually working or not. The aerospace industry goes through feast-or-famine oscillations that are short enough in cycle that layoffs during the famines are counterproductive. SATOP keeps those idle hands a-workin'. Feast cycles don't allow time for SATOP projects in general.

If the contractors are using government funds, let's at least get something for the money.

[RightWhale]

The aerospace industry goes through feast-or-famine oscillations

I am one of many who know that first-hand. It always seemed like a huge waste of highly skilled talent. I mean, here is a pool of people who can do almost anything, and they spend half their working life pounding the pavement. This won't change, though, unless the anachronistic two-year Federal election cycle is eliminated.

[Frank_Discussion]

What I mean is that it is more expensive to hire and fire and hire again during short feast-or-famine cycles than to just hold employees during the lulls. It is during these low-activity periods that SATOP is most available. As this trend reverses, wherein SATOP then becomes less and less available. Regardless of what the workers are doing, the govenrment is paying the tab. Other that administration costs for the SATOP, there is no extra money spent.

[Frank_Discussion]

Oh, and another thing:

"This won't change, though, unless the anachronistic two-year Federal election cycle is eliminated."

Damn straight! The problem with the current political control of NASA is that it has no view of the far horizon technologically, so programs of either enough duration or enough funding are hard to establish.

[Mamzelle]

Maybe we could get an astronaut to chip in!

[KevinDavis]

I'm part of this group 1000planets or 1kp which I'm part of. Basically we are trying to establish a presense in space by not using a government money at all. Check out the web site for more details.
Kevin