Wanting To Have It Both Ways

NASA gives Google founders a coveted parking place for their private jet, IHT

“How did the two billionaires get such a coveted parking place? Officials at NASA Ames Research Center said the space agency signed an agreement signed last month that allowed it to place instruments and scientists on planes owned by principals of H211, which in addition to the Boeing 767-200 includes two Gulfstream Vs, to collect scientific data on some flights. In exchange, NASA will receive about $1.3 million in annual fees for being host to the plane at Moffett, said Steven Zornetzer, associate director for institutions and research at NASA Ames Research Center. “It was an opportunity for us to defray some of the fixed costs we have to maintain the airfield as well as to have flights of opportunity for our science missions,” Zornetzer said. “It seemed like a win-win situation.” NASA said it had already run one mission on one of the Gulfstream Vs to observe the Aurigid meteor shower Aug. 31.”

Editor’s note: Funny how the folks in Mountain View don’t complain about free Google WiFi and all of the benefits (taxes, jobs) that come from having Google in their midst. Now Google and NASA (another big employeer) find a way to help defray the costs of keeping a local asset functioning and suddenly that’s not good? You can’t have it both ways folks.