Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!skipper!shafer From: shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer (OFV)) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: Techno-welfare Message-ID: Date: 21 Dec 89 17:15:23 GMT References: <8912181657.AA01075@aldrin.cray.com> <1989Dec20.150503.27019@cs.rochester.edu> Sender: shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov Organization: NASA Dryden, Edwards, Cal. Lines: 42 In-reply-to: dietz@cs.rochester.edu's message of 20 Dec 89 15:05:03 GMT In article <1989Dec20.150503.27019@cs.rochester.edu> dietz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Dietz) writes: >In article <8912181657.AA01075@aldrin.cray.com> lfa@VIELLE.CRAY.COM (Lou Adornato) writes: >> In fact, I don't see why space R&D wouldn't be >more< productive than >> civilian. By law, NASA research is available to the public (with the >> _major_ exception of that which is determined to be sensitive to >> National Security). >Industry has a strong incentive to do R&D in areas that will lead to >valuable products and services that can be sold for a profit. NASA >does not. Like swept-wing aircraft? Supercritical airfoils? NASA/NACA innovations that make airline flights faster and cheaper. Winglets? Fly-by-wire? Highly-integrated engine control? NASA There aren't many _private_ hypersonic wind tunnels. In fact, there aren't many private transsonic tunnels. Wake turbulence research? We help keep your airplane from being thrown out of the sky, with our flight safety research. Downbursts? Wind shear? NASA research is of great economic value. It's just that others get the value. For example, NASA doesn't build airliners but the people who do use NASA's research. BTW, the printed circuit was first used in proximity fuses for shooting down V-1s, so here's yet another example of NASA/Defense innovation that really affected "real life." Small, but hot little blue flame: NASA is not just space! The first A is aeronautics and don't you forget it! Even if Headquarters sometimes does, I expect more from you-all. Happy Holidays, Space Cadets! -- Mary Shafer shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov or ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA Of course I don't speak for NASA