NASA Deputy Administrator Visits Nevada Innovation Sites
WASHINGTON -- NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver visited Las Vegas today to meet with Nevada entrepreneurs and discuss innovations in space exploration and technology development critical to America's future in space.Garver toured the facilities of Bigelow Aerospace, a company that has been developing expandable space habitats. NASA is evaluating Bigelow's concept for an expandable module for the International Space Station. If approved, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or BEAM, could be launched to the station using a commercial cargo flight and robotically attached to the orbiting laboratory.
Bigelow also has partnered with the Boeing Company on a crew capsule
as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Development Program. NASA is
working with multiple commercial partners to develop industry's
capability to safely deliver crews and cargo to low Earth orbit.
"It's a pleasure to see the spark of innovation so vibrant here in
Nevada," Garver said. "It's going to take our best minds and our best
efforts to harness the full potential of our entrepreneurs, but with
it, we can out-innovate, out-educate and out-build any competitor in
the world."
As NASA focuses on a renewed program of technology development to
reach destinations farther in the solar system, it also will continue
a vigorous program of human spaceflight aboard the International
Space Station and foster a growing commercial space industry with the
capability to produce jobs and economic benefits.
"Commercial space in general and commercial crew in particular are
vital to ensure that America survives and thrives in an increasingly
global space industry," said the founder and president of Bigelow
Aerospace, Robert T. Bigelow. "Innovation has always been the key to
our country's economy, and we were thrilled to host the deputy
administrator to show her what our entrepreneurial company has
already accomplished."
The NASA Authorization Act of 2010, passed with strong bipartisan
support, calls on NASA to pursue commercial access to space and
extend the life of the space station to at least 2020. Along with
these goals, the act directs the agency to open multiple pathways to
innovate and develop new capabilities for the exploration missions of
the future.
For more information about NASA's commercial crew and cargo
initiatives, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/
For more information about Bigelow Aerospace, visit:
http://www.bigelowaerospace.
Source: NASA
