we’re at the beginning of that stage with commercial space operations.
X: Tell me about the software catalog. How has that helped your mission?
DT: Our primary focus is developing technology that we need for space exploration. It is our great intention to try to do that in a way to maximize the tech to benefit other economic sectors. NASA has this bounty of IP and software and patents and it’s under my purview to transfer those technologies that are internal to NASA. We have a formal tech transfer group whose sole function is to try to make connections and identify places in industry where there is a need. There is an obvious intersection. While we are internally developing technologies, one of the requirements of our researchers is the disclosure of what they’re developing, their essential capabilities, and to suggest where there could be an application in industry.
We just build up a catalog, with software and patents and other innovations and make that accessible to the public. You can literally go into that catalog and find something that might be of interest. There is information there on how to pursue licensing that software. As a government body, we have a responsibility to disseminate that property to where it can have the most opportunity. We employ intermediaries under contract, which provide a marketing function, serve as the matchmaker, and market these capabilities.
X: How has the downsizing of the space program impacted your bench of qualified CEOs to run companies spun out of NASA innovations? Do you work with private space companies that are starting to set up shop in Clear Lake, TX? Is there enough critical mass there?
DT: We are actively engaged in helping the formulation a truly independent space economy. This is the idea of truly commercializing space, and spin off revenue sources independent of NASA, space tourism, [and] commercial satellites. People within the NASA ecosystem would then expand their customer bases out into a truly commercial model not dependent on government-funded NASA missions. NASA would not be the only customer. Companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, [and] Blue Origin are others. Unfortunately, the press gives the impression that this is competition when nothing could be further from the truth. Our vision is to see this economy blossom, be a self-sustaining economy, which gives us a new range of contractors for smart ideas and smart solutions.
We have Space Act agreements where we’re providing real time help, technical support to work through problems. We’re not just handing them the technology and walking away. We’re very engaged in fostering the success of those companies. Some of these companies are Space X and Orbital Sciences; we are utilizing them as a supplier of private transport to the ISS. We have as part of our charter a responsibility to help ensure that that blossoms into a viable commercial success independent of NASA.
