SPURRING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH NASA–DERIVED TECHNOLOGIES HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012 Serial No. 112–95 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 75–391PDF WASHINGTON : 2012 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY HON. RALPH M. HALL, Texas, Chair F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR., EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas Wisconsin JERRY F. COSTELLO, Illinois LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California DANA ROHRABACHER, California ZOE LOFGREN, California ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland BRAD MILLER, North Carolina FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois JUDY BIGGERT, Illinois DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland W. TODD AKIN, Missouri BEN R. LUJA´ N, New Mexico RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas PAUL D. TONKO, New York MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas JERRY MCNERNEY, California PAUL C. BROUN, Georgia TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama SANDY ADAMS, Florida FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida BENJAMIN QUAYLE, Arizona HANSEN CLARKE, Michigan CHARLES J. ‘‘CHUCK’’ FLEISCHMANN, SUZANNE BONAMICI, Oregon Tennessee VACANCY E. SCOTT RIGELL, Virginia VACANCY STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi VACANCY MO BROOKS, Alabama ANDY HARRIS, Maryland RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois CHIP CRAVAACK, Minnesota LARRY BUCSHON, Indiana DAN BENISHEK, Michigan VACANCY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS HON. STEVEN M. PALAZZO, Mississippi, Chair F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER JR., JERRY F. COSTELLO, Illinois Wisconsin TERRI A. SEWELL, Alabama LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland DANA ROHRABACHER, California FREDERICA S. WILSON, Florida FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma HANSEN CLARKE, Michigan W. TODD AKIN, Missouri MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas SANDY ADAMS, Florida EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas E. SCOTT RIGELL, Virginia MO BROOKS, Alabama RALPH M. HALL, Texas (II) C O N T E N T S Thursday, July 12, 2012 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Steven M. Palazzo, Chair, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .................................................................................... 9 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 10 Statement by Representative Jerry F. Costello, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives ............................................... 11 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 11 Witnesses: Dr. Mason Peck, Chief Technologist, National Aeronautics and Space Admin- istration Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 12 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 15 Mr. George Beck, Chief Clinical and Technology Officer, Impact Instrumenta- tion, Inc. Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 24 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 30 Mr. Brian Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Zephyr Technology Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 28 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 30 Mr. John Vilja, Vice President for Strategy, Innovation and Growth, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 33 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 36 Dr. Richard Aubrecht, Vice President, Moog Inc. Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 45 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 48 Discussion 11 Appendix 1: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Dr. Mason Peck, Chief Technologist, National Aeronautics and Space Admin- istration ................................................................................................................. 68 Mr. George Beck, Chief Clinical and Technology Officer, Impact Instrumenta- tion, Inc. ................................................................................................................ 73 Mr. Brian Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Zephyr Technology ......................... 76 Mr. John Vilja, Vice President for Strategy, Innovation and Growth, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne ........................................................................................ 78 Dr. Richard Aubrecht, Vice President, Moog Inc. ................................................. 86 (III) SPURRING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH NASA–DERIVED TECHNOLOGIES THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:00 a.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Steven Palazzo [Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. (1) 2 RALPH M. HAll, TEXAS EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, TEXAS CHA!RMAN RANKING MEMBER U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY 2321 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6301 (202) 225-6371 www.sdence.house.gov Subcommittee On Space and Aeronautics Spurring Economic Growth and Competitiveness Through NASA Derived Technologies Thursday, July 12,2012 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building Witnesses Dr. Mason Peck, NASA Chief Technologist Mr. George Beck, Chief Clinical and Technology Officer, Impact Instrumentation, Inc. Mr. Brian Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Zephyr Technology Mr. John Vilja, Vice President for Strategy, Innovation and Growth, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Dr. Richard Aubrecht, Vice President, Moog, Inc. 3 SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Spurring Economic Growth and Competitiveness Through NASA Derived Technologies Thursday, July 12, 2012 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. 2318 Rayburn House Office Building NASA is often considered an incubator for technology development, and history has shown a vast array of technologies that owe their start to NASA programs. Despite decades of demonstrated success, federal investment in NASA remains essentially flat even as other R&D agencies are seeing increases. Furthermore, investment in NASA's technology transfer activities has seen a drastic decline in recent years. The purpose of this hearing will be to examine the direct economic and societal benefits that investments in NASA have generated and highlight those areas where continued investments could help stimulate the pipeline for future economic growth. Witnesses • Dr. Mason Peck, NASA Chief Technologist • Mr. George Beck, Chief Clinical and Technology Officer, Impact Instrumentation, Inc. • Mr. Brian Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Zephyr Technology • Mr. John ViIja, Vice President for Strategy, Innovation and Growth, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne • Dr. Richard Aubrecht, Vice President, Moog, Inc. Background The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 established NASA as the leading agency for aeronautical and space sciences, and specifically directed that the new agency would "provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof."J Since then, NASA has developed innovative technologies that are ubiquitous to daily civilian and military life in the United States - and even the world. Besides 1 http:Uhistory.nasa.gov(spaceact.html Page lof6 4 being the global leader in advanced aircraft and spacecraft design, NASA technologies have paved the way for advances in the medical field, environmental stewardship, and public safety. The Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 and the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 also support NASA's technology transfer activities. Each mandate the promotion of federally-funded research and technology transfer to the commercial sectors, and state and local governments. They also grant authority to Government-owned and Government-operated laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development agreements with the private sector and with academia. On October 28, 2011, President Obama issued a memorandum entitled, "Accelerating Technology Transfer and Commercialization ofFederal Research in Support ofHigh Growth Businesses," requiring all Federal agencies to identify opportunities for, and ~lan transitions to, increase the nnmber