APPENDIX
G
Request for Comments from the University Space Research Association Member Institutions
JOINT COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY FOR SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS
2101 Constitution Avenue Washington, D.C. 20418
AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ENGINEERING BOARD
(202) 334-3275 FAX: (202) 334-2482 NELDRIDG@NAS.EDUSPACE STUDIES BOARD
(202) 334-3477 FAX: (202) 334-3701 MSALLEN@NAS.EDUDear
Congress, through NASA, has requested that the National Research Council undertake an advisory study on the Future of Space Science. “Space Science”, in this context, includes not only the traditional space sciences of astronomy, cosmology, planetology, and solar-terrestrial processes, but also includes Mission to Planet Earth and NASA's life and microgravity sciences.
There are three elements of the study: Organization of the Space Science enterprise, prioritization in a highly constrained budget environment, and the infusion of technology. This letter concerns the infusion of technology.
It is widely believed that the innovative vitality of NASA's science enterprise will require the combined creative engineering talents of NASA, industry, and the universities. We are seeking your thoughts about the process of university involvement. There are several options. Among them are independent investigators participating through competitively awarded grants, development of university centers of excellence, contracts to universities for deliverables, and development of NASA centers of excellence populated by competitively selected teams of gnvernment, industry, and university research engineers. Recognizing that most of NASA's technology needs are highly focused and that part of the process of technology infusion occurs in sharing the development experience:
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Can you cite examples where the universities have successfully teamed with government and industry to develop new technologies? Why were they successful?
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Can you cite examples where a government-university technology development process did not work well? Why were they less than successful?
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How do these NASA technology programs affect your institution?
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Have you had difficulty supporting foreign students on NASA technology grants and what are your thoughts about such limitations?
We respectfully request your comments by the end of May. Enclosed for your information are a short description of the technology element of the Future of Space Science study and a list of panel members. We apologize for the short lead time, but we are trying to be responsive to NASA's need to plan for downsizing in the wake of budget reductions.
The National Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering to serve government and other organizations