The Space Technology Program is a Direct Investment in our Nation’s Leadership in Technology and our Permanent Access to Space
Washington D.C. February 13th 2012: Today, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomed the strong support for NASA’s Space Technology program in the Fiscal Year 2013 proposed budget.
The Space Technology program is NASA’s investment in the future; by developing technologies to improve all aspects of NASA’s operations, it ensures that NASA stays at the forefront of space exploration and scientific research. The technologies it develops will also improve quality of life on Earth, sustain America’s global economic competitiveness, enable the NASA missions of the future and create high-tech jobs across the country.
The Space Technology program takes new technologies from inspiration to application, funding new technology research in the lab; testing it in realistic environments, including on reusable suborbital vehicles; and developing it for applications to NASA’s human and robotic exploration programs. Although the program has been in place and funded for less than a year, it is already developing projects in areas such as cryogenic propellant storage and transfer, solar sails, and aerodynamic decelerators designed to make NASA’s missions safer, more efficient, and more capable.
Federation Chairman Eric Anderson said, “These precious investments help ensure that NASA remains at the forefront of technology and exploration. The funds boost the U.S. economy; maintaining high-tech jobs in America and keeping NASA’s human and robotic programs strong.”
Because rapid prototyping, testing and evaluation are the key to a great technology program, one vital part of the is the Flight Opportunities program, which provides flights on new commercial, reusable, suborbital and reduced-gravity vehicles for research and flight-testing of new technologies. This type of testing effectively proves out new technologies before they are flown on missions costing tens and hundreds of millions of dollars. NASA has already approved projects testing a variety of technologies, including medical devices and fuel tank sensors, and recently issued a call for game-changing technology experiments to be flown on these vehicles as well. Because of the cost-effective nature of suborbital and reduced-gravity flight, NASA expects to fund around twenty projects with a total budget of just a few million dollars.
In a report released earlier this year, the National Research Council stated, “Success in executing future NASA space missions will depend on advanced technology developments that should already be underway. It has been years since NASA has had a vigorous, broad-based program in advanced space technology development, and NASA’s technology base is largely depleted.”
Executive Director Alex Saltman stated, “Continued funding for NASA’s Space Technologies program is critical. Without these technologies, NASA will be stuck with 20th century capabilities while advanced spaceflight technologies take root in space programs overseas.”
About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation
The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The CSF’s member companies – which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers and service providers – are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at saltman@commercialspaceflight.org or at 202.349.1121.
