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From: dietz@SLB-DOLL.CSNET (Paul Dietz)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Spinoffs
Message-ID: <8512022243.AA18449@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Mon, 2-Dec-85 16:54:27 EST
Article-I.D.: s1-b.8512022243.AA18449
Posted: Mon Dec  2 16:54:27 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 3-Dec-85 20:27:16 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
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It really isn't fair to say that a research program has nothing to do
with a discovery if bringing that discovery to commercial use requires
an additional N billion dollars (far exceeding the cost of the research
program).  A serendipitous discovery can be quite cheap, and serves
more of a trailblazing function.  This kind of discovery, however,
might better be stimulated by basic research.  

I just thought of another spinoff from the space program: cryogenics.
NASA had to develop a lot of the technology for manipulating liquid
hydrogen in bulk.  Today we see liquid hydrogen tank trucks on the
highways, but several decades ago LH was a real engineering nightmare.
Liquid hydrogen handling technology could have considerable spinoff
potential if LH fueled SST's are built (although since NASA is involved
in aeronautics, it's not clear this would count as a spinoff).