Spinoff Fact Checking Needed at StratComm
“Members questioned some of the technologies cited in the testing as growing out of NASA research and development, stating that NASA does more fundamental than applied research. Porter specifically questioned including smoke detectors in the list and stated that there are aeronautics inventions that NASA can take full credit for having done the research. Members stressed the need to be accurate.
SMC Decision: The Administrator directed that the Office of Communications Planning thoroughly vet NASA claims that the Agency was responsible for the research that enabled technologies ultimately used by the general public (e.g., smoke detectors) with in-house experts before it can be included in Agency messages.
SMC Action: The Office of Communications Planning is to vet the current list of NASA “spinoff” technologies being used in the Office’s message testing with in house experts, specifically the Innovative Partnership Program Director Doug Comstock, Howard Ross of PA&E, and, with specific regard to smoke detector technology, Aeronautics Research Associate Administrator Lisa Porter, due by the next meeting.”
Editor’s note: A gold star for Lisa Porter! Wouldn’t you think that a NASA office that does “strategic communication” would want to adopt a “strategy” of checking their facts regarding NASA’s purported spinoffs BEFORE they put a plan together around them?
If you search through NASA’s Spinoff Database for smoke detectors (I assume NASA StratComm has access to this) you will see that the smoke detector mentioned as a spinoff (from 1979) “is no longer being manufactured.” Wow. Is NASA bragging about something that has not been manufactured for 28 years? Why would anyone be impressed by that?
