Technology utilization program, NASA

Before I conclude my remarks, let me leave with you a conceptual framework for technology transfer for your future consideration. .. a framework that characterizes the many and varied transfer mechanisms employed in NASA s Technology Utilization Program. 

In spite of this permissive legislative mandate, the NASA technology utilization program is funded at less than 10 million per year. Several assessment studies have been launched in an effort to document and quantify the social and private returns to NASA s technology utilization efforts (17-lf). The results of these studies may help to determine whether the public investment in "spin-off" programs is currently adequate. Two of the completed studies are reviewed below. 

LEONARD A. AULT is Chief, Dissemination and Analysis Branch, Technology Transfer Division of NASA. He has been actively involved in the problems of technology utilization and innovation since 1963 shortly following the initial inception of the NASA Technology Utilization Program. Prior to joining NASA, he was a research physicist for the Harry Diamond Laboratories, U.S. Army Ordnance. 

Anderson, Jr., Robert J. William N. Lanen, and Carson E. Agnew, "A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Selected Technology Utilization Office Programs", a report to NASA. Mathtech, Inc., Princeton, N.J., November 7, 1977. 

The fuel eell is a nineteenth eentuiy invention in the twentieth eentury it heeame the heart of an eleetroehemical power plant and power souree, whieh is now in a stage of advaneed technology development. Its first and only applieation since the early 1960s, has been as an auxiliary power souree for spaee flights by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). During the past decade, development for terrestrial (eivihan and defense) applieations has led to its commercialization and research on utilization in a variety of applications. Programs in the United States, Japan, Europe, and some other eoimtries are focused on the development of fuel cell power plant/power sources for (1) base-load,... 

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