Hans.Moravec@cmu-ri-rover.arpa (04/03/84)
a266 1819 26 Mar 84
AM-Space Business,310
Government To Encourage Private Investment In Space
By HOWARD BENEDICT
AP Aerospace Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government will encourage private
investment in space by offering tax incentives and reducing the
technical and financial risks involved, the head of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration said Monday.
''We want your investments to go forward,'' James M. Beggs told
representatives of several firms attending a space business
conference. ''And we know that you may find it difficult to go it
alone. That is why we will reduce those risks that might inhibit
business from going into orbit.''
He said the White House ''has some tax incentive plans to encourage
buisness in space ... For our part, NASA will establish a high-level
office to serve as a focal point for our activities in stimulating
space commerce.''
Beggs said the agency will support research aimed at commercial
applications, permit access to NASA experiment facilities and schedule
flight opportunities on space shuttle missions.
''We will continue to offer reduced-rate space transportation for
high technology endeavors and plan to help integrate commercial
equipment with the shuttle,'' Beggs said. ''We also will provide seed
money to stimulate commercial space ventures, and in some cases, we
will purchase commercial space products and services.''
Industry is interested initially in using weightless space for the
manufacture of pure pharmaceuticals, exotic metals and purer optical
fibers that cannot be made in Earth's gravity.
McDonnell Douglas Corp. and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals
jointly have sent four drug-making experiments into orbit aboard the
shuttle. The results have been so encouraging that NASA is flying a
McDonnell Douglas engineer on a shuttle flight in June to carry the
experiment another step forward.
Beggs noted that President Reagan placed commercial activity high on
the agenda when he called in January for development of a permanent
manned space station.
ap-ny-03-26 2119EDT
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