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Commercialization

NASA Lawyers Undermine Space Commercialization Once Again

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
January 9, 2006

Editor’s note: This is just plain silly. NASA just signed a multi-year logistics and crew transport agreement for the ISS with Russia. Europe and Japan have ISS cargo carriers under development – some of which use Russian technology. Yet NASA manages to come up with some ITAR fetish with regard to cargo transport access to the very same INTERNATIONAL Space Station – using the very same interfaces that their INTERNATIONAL partners use? Mike Griffin needs to go back to the drawing board on this one. There is zero imagination – and seemingly minimal committment to true commercialization at work here.

Editor’s update: [email protected] sent some explanatory comments about this project library (see below)

NASA Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Library Access

Some information contained in the NASA Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Library is subject to United States export control regulation. These documents cannot be transferred to foreign persons either in the United States or abroad, without specific approval from a knowledgeable, authorized export control official, or unless an export license is obtained from the U. S. Department of State, or an applicable license exemption is valid in accordance with the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Violations of these regulations are punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

To obtain access to the NASA Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Library, email or fax proof of U.S. citizenship, the name of your company (must be a U.S. business entity), and a statement that the library user will abide by export control regulations defined in the ITAR, 22 CFR 120-130 and U. S. Department of Commerce Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR 730-774, to Susan Stefanovic at [email protected] or fax at 281.333.9853.

Applicants may prove U.S. citizenship with any one of the following:

  • U.S. Passport
  • Birth certificate issued by a U.S. city, county or state
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth
  • Naturalization Certificate
  • Certificate of Citizenship

Once citizenship and employment are confirmed, the applicant will receive an email invitation to register/join the project library. Identify Valin Thorn as the sponsor on the registration form. Once registration is approved, click on the Join Project link in the original invitation/registration email.

The NASA Commercial Crew/Cargo Project Library will include a folder with helpful information regarding U. S. export control regulations.

Sanctions for Violation of U.S. Export Control Regulations

ITAR

  • Criminal: Up to $1M per violation and 10 years imprisonment
  • Civil: Seizure and forfeiture of article, revocation of exporting privilege, up to $500K fine

per violation

EAR

  • Criminal: $50K to $1 million or 5 times value of export, whichever is greater, per violation, 10 years imprisonment
  • Civil: Revocation of exporting privilege, fines $10K to $120K per violation

[email protected] notes: “NASA has a rock solid commitment to facilitate space commercialization, support development of private human space transportation systems, and to commercialize ISS transportation services. The NASA Commercial Crew/Cargo (NC3) Project Library is intended to provide space entrepreneurs with as much helpful, detailed design and operations information, from over 40 years of NASA space flight experience, as can be found.

The NC3 Project Library content goes well beyond basic ISS interface data. The ISS Program, even though international, still requires adherence with U. S. export regulations. These government regulations ensure that valuable information, hardware, and software vital to U. S. national security and economic interest are protected.

A project library wide open on the internet is available to the world, our enemies, and international business competitors – consequently it would be content restricted, small, and of minimal benefit. After deliberation on the subject, it was concluded to be best to have essentially no restrictions on the content in the NC3 Project Library by ensuring it is open only to U. S. citizens representing U. S. companies.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.