NASA Deputy Administrator Visits Nevada Innovation Sites

[NASA News <hqnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Feb. 4, 2011

David Weaver 
Headquarters, Washington       
202-358-1600 
david.s.weaver@xxxxxxxx 

RELEASE: 11-033

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/c3po/home/index.html 


For more information about Bigelow Aerospace, visit: 



http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/ 

	
-end-



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