SPACE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT - BRINGING THE BENEFITS OF SPACE DOWN-TO-EARTH

In fulfilling the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NAS A) responsibility to encourage the fullest commercial use of space the Space Product Development (SPD) Program, within the Microgravity Rese arch Program Office (MRPO) located at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, is managing an organization of Commerc ial Space Centers (CSC's) that have successfully employed methods for encouraging private industries to exploit the benefits of space-based research. Unique research opportunities of the space environment are b eing made available to private industry in an effort to develop new, c ompetitive products; create jobs; and enhance the country's quality of life. Over 200 commercial research activities have been conducted in space by the CSC's and their industrial partners during the last sever al years. The success of this research is evidenced by the increasing amount of industrial participation in commercial microgravity research and the potential products nearing marketability. (C) 1998 American I nstitute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. Published by Elsevier S cience Ltd.