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How does NASA decide who gets their products

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posted on Aug, 23 2010 @ 01:58 AM
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Forgive me if this topic has been raised and covered previously. Just ignore it and it will go away and quietly die. :-)

I have been wondering about this...
Potentially, universities and/or companies stand to gain an incredible advantage over their competitors if they have access to NASA latest technology developed for their space programs.

We hear how the products that NASA has developed for space travel have filtered their way into everyday life, but does anyone know just how it is decided who gets to benefit from this technology?

How can there be any 'fair' way to allocate these technologies because there is no way of knowing what ultimate benefits will be found from their use.

Plus, of course, since they were developed with public money, I assume that someone or some organisation holds the patents for the technology and it is the technology that it licenced to more than one company or university.

However, universities and companies which further develop the technology can rightfully(?) say that they have added value to the technology and can claim some extra proceeds.

Does anyone know how this kind of thing works please?


[edit on 23-8-2010 by qmantoo]



posted on Aug, 23 2010 @ 02:09 AM
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The way it works is that NASA puts out an RFP (request for proposals) for a project. Various entities (universities, corporations) submit bids (cost proposals) for various aspects of the project. NASA then selects what they deem is the best proposal and assigns a contract. In most cases a single project has several (at least) contractors involved. In most cases any patents or licenses which are involved with the project will belong to the entity which develops the technology. Those entities are free to market that technology as they see fit.

[edit on 8/23/2010 by Phage]



posted on Aug, 23 2010 @ 02:22 AM
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You also can not believe advertisers or marketers when they say that their product is used or approved by NASA.

A Vibration Training company called Power Plate says that their platforms are, or are used by NASA all the time. Not true, in fact the product have little in common.. NASA built their own TVIS ( Treadmill Vibration Isolation system ) machines but they kept breaking down.

NASA does not aggressively go after companies using their name for some reason. As a Trademark it obviously is not worth that much.



 
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