[anymouse]

Their was, however, another inventor who did get a research contract. He spent a lot of money but failed miserably.

I think you are thinking about Langley. They named a NACA/NASA center after him. One can accurately say that they are continuing his legacy of spending a lot of money and failing miserably. :)

[Dan Evans]

I think you are thinking about Langley.

That's the guy.

Government contacts to private companies are not necessarily inherently wasteful. If they can somehow avoid all the bureaucracy, they can get the job done efficiently. A lot of the unmanned space exploration, such as JPL which is managed by Caltech, a private university, is doing an excellent job overall.

But on the shuttle, NASA is the dog that wags the tail.