NASA Offering Partnerships for Private Space Companies
NASA Announces Effort to Form New Collaborative Partnerships with Private Space Industry, NASA
“NASA officials Wednesday released a synopsis requesting information from U.S. private enterprises interested in pursuing unfunded partnerships. The aim is to advance the development of commercial space products and services.
“As we have seen with NASA’s previous agreements with the private sector, U.S. companies could significantly benefit from the agency’s extensive experience and knowledge in spaceflight development and operations,” said Phil McAlister, NASA’s director for Commercial Spaceflight Development. “For new entrepreneurial efforts in space, NASA’s archive of lessons learned, technical expertise and spaceflight data is an invaluable national resource and engine for new economic growth.”
Unfunded partnerships?
Is the technical expertise NASA is offering unique? Contractors are part and parcel of NASA.
Collaborative efforts with industry began with NACA in 1915. But I hope NASA is willing to ask industry what it needs and modify NASA efforts to meet these needs. Just marketing previous NASA work will not be as effective.
I hope they have plenty of money or have a sales contract. The amount of free funds that NASA gives in services will only be a small part. If NASA has anything they want something for free, I doubt it. NASA pay your way or do it yourself. Get a contract with someone, if you have to and pay at milestones or cost of material plus the cost of doing the job. Quit dreaming that you will get something for nothing. Are you luring someone into bankruptcy? Changing what NASA had planned for workers and facility’s had better be better for Space and taxpayers, not just helping a friend like the contracts for scifi Cold Fusion and Warp Drive.
There is somebody that plans to land a robot on the Moon. Mars Express. They build landers. I did not read of them having the $100m. needed for a launch. If I hear of a contract, then I will believe they might get there.