According to a NASA news release dated February 21, 2007, David Mould, NASA Headquarters, Michael Mewhinney, NASA Ames Research Center, and Stephen Attenborough, Virgin Galactic, have agreed that the NASA Ames Research Center and Virgin Galactic will collaborate over the next two years in several technical areas.

Specifically, the capabilities and facilities of the Ames Research Center will be utilized to develop the commercial space exploration industry. Potential collaborations could involve the development of spacesuits, hybrid rocket motors, and hypersonic vehicles.

The NASA Ames Research Center (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/home/index.html), which is located in Moffett Field within California’s Silicon Valley, is a prime research laboratory for NASA. Founded in 1939, it continues to partner with universities and high-tech companies in order to research and develop technologically advanced products in such areas as astrobiology, robotics, astronomy/astrophysics, supercomputing, intelligent systems, and thermal protection systems.

Virgin Galactic LLC (http://www.virgingalactic.com/) is a private U.S.-based subsidiary within Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. Founded in 2004, it concentrates on space tourism where it is developing sub-orbital spaceflight in the near future and, later, orbital spaceflights for the public. Virgin Galactic is headquartered in New Mexico.

According to the NASA news release, S. Peter Worden, director of the Ames Research Center, stated, “This understanding with Virgin Galactic affords NASA an opportunity to work with an emerging company in the commercial human space transportation industry to support the agency’s exploration, science and aeronautics mission goals. Our location in California’s Silicon Valley provides a dynamic research and development platform for future potential collaborations with other such companies in support of a robust commercial space industry.”

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