NASA Aeronautics: Impact of Technology Transfer Activities Is Uncertain

Highlights

Pursuant to congressional requests, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) efforts to transfer agency-developed technology to the U.S. civil aeronautics industry, focusing on: (1) NASA technology transfer activities; and (2) the impact on international competitiveness.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	The Administrator, NASA, should establish minimal standards for measuring aeronautical technology transfer to be followed by all field centers.	Closed – Implemented The NASA Commercial Technology Management Team has established metrics for tracking aeronautical technology transfer, and these metrics are being periodically reported.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	The Administrator, NASA, should provide milestones for implementing the recommendations endorsed by his directive.	Closed – Implemented Milestones for implementing the recommendations endorsed by the Administrator's directive on NASA's technology transfer activities have been established.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	The Administrator, NASA, should systematically track aeronautics resource expenditures for major technology transfer activities.	Closed – Implemented NASA has begun to systematically track aeronautics resource expenditures for major technology transfer activities through metrics on technology transfer being periodically reported.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	The Administrator, NASA, should direct the field centers to identify industry applications (products, services, and systems) that have resulted from NASA-developed technologies.	Closed – Implemented Field centers are identifying industry applications (products, services, and systems) that have resulted from NASA-developed technologies, and this information is being reported periodically in metrics on technology transfer and in narrative reports to headquarters.

Full Report

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Space

Aerospace contractsAerospace industryAerospace researchBudget cutsCompetitionCooperative agreementsData collectionResearch and developmentTechnology transferResearch and development contracts