NASA Socio-Economic 

Impacts 

April 2013
 

This report was prepared for NASA by 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Table of Contents 

Contents 

Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i
 

Introduction ............................................. 1
 

Snapshot of NASA’s Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
 

How Does NASA Impact the Economy and Society? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
 

NASA Invests in Technology and U.S. Industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Much of NASA’s Budget Goes to Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
 

NASA Programs Invest in a Broad Range of Technology Areas. . . . . . . .4
 

NASA’s Technology Investments Provide Potential 

Earth Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
 

NASA’s Engages U.S. Manufacturing Sectors .....................7
 

NASA Contributes to Global Emerging Technologies ...............7
 

NASA Contributes to National Science and Technology Priorities ......9
 

Input/Output Modeling Shows NASA’s Spending Has Bigger

Transactional Impacts than the Federal Average ...................9
 

NASA Spurs Innovation and Business Growth ................. 11

NASA Uses Multiple Pathways to Commercialize Innovations ........11
 

NASA Creates and Transfers Thousands of 

Technologies Annually ......................................12
 

NASA Innovations May Generate $1 Million in Revenue for 

Each Spinoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
 

NASA Advances Space-related Industries .................... 14
 

NASA’s Contribution to the Weather Industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
 

NASA Promotes Collaboration and Supports Foreign Policy ...... 17

NASA’s Space Act Agreements Promote Collaboration and 

Innovation ................................................17
 

NASA’s International Agreements Support U.S. Foreign Policy . . . . . . .18
 

NASA Leverages Interest in Science and Technology ........... 19
 

NASA Motivates Participation in Science and Technology 

Challenges ...............................................19
 

NASA Involves Citizen Scientists in its Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
 

NASA Inspires People Around the World ..................... 21
 

NASA Inspires Widespread Interest ............................21
 

NASA Generates New Scientific Knowledge .....................23
 

NASA is a Widely Respected Source of Scientific Information .......23
 

NASA Trains and Engages the Next Generation of Scientists 

and Engineers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
 

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
 
NASA Impacts

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Executive Summary 

Executive Summary 

This report characterizes socio-economic impacts to the nation from NASA 

investments as it pursues its vision and mission. The report is based on a 

study identifying objective, concrete measures reflecting NASA’s wide range 

of impacts. NASA’s expenditures ripple throughout the economy, supporting 

critical industries, creating new businesses and jobs, and attracting students to 

science and engineering. NASA invests in technologies and discoveries for the 

future, and in the process, it delivers social and economic impacts that benefit 

the nation today. 

No single metric can capture the returns from NASA’s activities, given their many 

dimensions. This report organizes NASA’s socio-economic impacts into six 

categories and highlights important outcomes in each one. 

Leverages

Interest in Science 

and Technology 

Promotes 

Collaboration and 

Supports Foreign

Policy 

Advances 

Space-Related 

Industries 

Spurs Innovation and 

Business Growth 

Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry 

Inspires

People Around

the World 

NASA’s benefits extend far beyond space.

i 
NASA Impacts

80% of NASA 2012 budget to programs

$5B on U.S. manufacturing

$300M on key emerging technologies

$2B on U.S. science and tech priorities

Bigger transactional impact than fed avg

Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry 

NASA expenditures contribute to competitively important areas: technology, 

manufacturing, businesses, and universities. NASA invests in economically valuable 

technologies that help the nation maintain its competitive advantage. NASA spends 

nearly half its budget on U.S. manufacturing industries; the White House identifies 

manufacturing as vital to re-invigorating the economy. NASA also spends hundreds 

of millions of dollars on developing emerging technologies, and billions advancing 

science and technologies identified as key national priorities. About 80 percent of 

NASA activities are carried out by U.S. businesses and universities, with 20 percent 

supported by NASA employees. This business model of relying on capabilities and 

expertise across the country helps NASA achieve its goals and benefits the nation’s 

economy by creating larger ripples throughout the economy than other federal 

agencies on average. 

1,600 new technologies reported in 2012

2,200 tech transfer transactions in 2012 

$1M annually per spinoff

(median, based on small study) 

Spurs Innovation and 

Business Growth 

NASA transfers its unique knowledge, products, services, and processes. While 

NASA captures highlights of about 50 technology transfers to industry in its annual 

Spinoff publication, it develops more than 1,600 new technologies each year and 

transfers thousands of products, services, and processes. These transfers help 

businesses generate revenue and create jobs.

 Satellite telecommunications 

Satellite navigation 

Remote sensing 

Space access 

Advances 

Space-Related 

Industries 

NASA advances globally important, space-related industries. Since its creation in 

1958, NASA has contributed to the advancement of space-related industries that 

have a broad impact on our daily lives. NASA has made major contributions to worldchanging industries like satellite telecommunications, GPS, remote sensing, and 

space access. NASA’s contributions have enabled the first weather imagery to be 

transmitted from space, deployment of the first geosynchronous satellite, and human 

access beyond low Earth orbit. 

ii 
Executive Summary 

500 agreements, 2/3 of world’s countries

2,000 Space Act Agreements with ~500 companies 

and other partners 

Promotes Collaboration 

and Supports Foreign 

Policy 

NASA’s promotes collaboration with U.S. and international partners. NASA’s 

international agreements strengthen foreign policy by supporting National Security 

Strategy goals for collaborative research and development. Hundreds of U.S. 

companies, universities, and other government agencies engage with NASA through 

thousands of Space Act Agreements. These agreements let NASA and its partners 

formalize arrangements for access to expertise, facilities, and resources. In some 

cases, the agreements serve as alternative contracting mechanisms to develop new 

capabilities cooperatively. 

5,000 individuals, 100 corporate teams participated in

challenges

1.2M citizen scientists from ~80 countries 

Leverages

Interest in Science and 

Technology 

NASA involves individuals and companies in volunteer science and technology 

research (challenges, citizen scientists). NASA involves over a million individuals 

and hundreds of companies in volunteer science and technology research 

endeavors, through research collaborations, crowd-sourcing projects, and science 

and technology prizes. These volunteer efforts generate new ideas, technology, and 

scientific data for the Agency, and increase awareness and capability in science and 

technology for many people. 

12M Twitter followers 

1B visits/downloads of NASA datasets, 2012

1.5M refs in academic articles (10 years)

60M annual views of education websites 

8,000 applicants for internship (2011) 

Inspires

People Around the 

World 

NASA’s public visibility and shared data inspires people around the world. NASA 

makes news and information about its missions and programs available to the public 

and scientific community through its use of social media, educational outreach 

efforts, and publication of scientific research and data. 

iii 
NASA Impacts

 

 

Introduction 
 

“For pennies on the dollar, the space program has improved our lives, advanced our 

society, strengthened our economy, and inspired generations of Americans. And I have 

no doubt that NASA can continue to fulfill this role.” 

President Barack Obama 

April 15, 2010, Kennedy Space Center 

This report characterizes socio-economic impacts to the nation from NASA 

investments as it pursues its vision and mission. The report is based on a 

study identifying objective, concrete measures reflecting NASA’s wide range 

of impacts. NASA creates jobs, new innovations, and meaningful economic 

impacts. NASA’s investments ripple throughout the economy supporting critical 

industries, creating new businesses and jobs, and attracting students to science 

and engineering. NASA invests in technologies and discoveries for the future, 

and in the process, it delivers social and economic impacts that benefit the 

nation today. 

NASA Vision 

To reach for new heights and reveal the 

unknown so that what we do and learn 

will benefit all humankind. 

NASA Mission 

Drive advances in science, technology, 

and exploration to enhance knowledge,

education, innovation, economic vitality, 

and stewardship of Earth. 

Snapshot of NASA’s Budget 

80% 

18% 

2% 

Programs 

Cross-agency, IT, education office 

Construction, environmental 

Figure 1. Eighty percent of NASA’s budget

supports programmatic activities. 

NASA’s 2012 budget was about $18 billion 

(Figure 1).1 NASA spent 80 percent of its 

budget on program activities, carried out 

by its four mission directorates — Human 

Exploration and Operations, Science, 

Space Technology, and Aeronautics. 

NASA program activities range from 

operating the International Space Station, 

supporting commercial spaceflight as well 

as NASA’s next generation exploration 

vehicles, planetary programs like the 

Curiosity rover, executing a robust portfolio 

of over 1,000 research and technology 

investments, and developing cuttingedge aeronautical advances. The rest of 

the budget (about 20 percent) was used 

for agency operations such as institutional 

management, information technology 

systems, education, construction, and 

environmental compliance. In 2012, 

this budget supported more than 5,000 

businesses, universities, and other 

organizations in every state in the Nation. 

1 

	

Introduction 

How Does NASA Impact the Economy and Society? 

No single metric can capture the returns from NASA’s activities, given their many 

dimensions. This report organizes NASA’s socio-economic impacts into six 

categories and highlights important outcomes in each one. 

NASA invests in technology and U.S. industry. This category reflects returns from

NASA’s spending on competitively important areas: technology, manufacturing, 

businesses and universities. 

NASA spurs innovation and business growth. This category reflects returns from

NASA’s transfer of its unique knowledge, products, services, and processes. 

NASA advances space-related industries. This category reflects returns from

NASA’s advancement of globally important, space-related industries. 

NASA promotes collaboration and supports U.S. foreign policy. This category

reflects returns from NASA’s collaboration with U.S. and international partners. 

NASA leverages interest in science and technology. This category reflects

returns from NASA’s involvement of individuals and companies in volunteer science 

and technology research (challenges, citizen scientists). 

NASA inspires people around the world. This category reflects returns from

NASA’s public visibility and shared data. 

Each of these categories is described in a section of the report. 

Leverages

Interest in Science 

and Technology 

Promotes 

Collaboration and 

Supports Foreign

Policy 

Advances 

Space-Related

Industries 

Spurs Innovation and

Business Growth 

Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry 

Inspires

People Around

the World 

Figure 2. NASA’s benefits extend far beyond space.
	

2 
NASA Impacts

NASA Invests in Technology and

U.S. Industry 

NASA strengthens the U.S. economy by engaging the largest U.S. manufacturing 

industries, advancing emerging technologies and contributing to achieving 

national science and technology priorities. NASA’s spending profile—which 

leverages businesses and universities to help carry out the Agency’s work— 

creates a larger transactional impact throughout the economy compared to the 

average federal impact. 

Much of NASA’s Budget Goes to

Technology 

Nearly half of NASA’s 2012 budget was spent 

on technology reesearch, development, and 

manufacturing. 

As noted, NASA spends 80 percent of its $18 

billion budget on program activity (Figure 

3). Much of this program activity—about 45 

percent of NASA’s total budget—was spent 

on technology research, development, and 

manufacturing. This estimate is based on 

a detailed line-by-line analysis of FY2012 

spending of five programs that accounted 

for 33 percent of NASA’s budget. The 

five programs were Commercial Crew, 

International Space Station (ISS), James 

Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Space 

Launch System (SLS) (excluding the MultiPurpose Crew Vehicle budget), and the Space 

Technology Program (STP). Extrapolating 

the data from these five programs to the full 

budget suggests that NASA spent roughly 

$8 billion on technology research, 

development, and manufacturing in 2012. 

80%

Programs

45%

Technology 

Figure 3. Nearly half of NASA’s budget 

is spent on research, development and 

manufacturing of technologies.

When programs are in development (building 

or creating the tools necessary to accomplish 

a program’s goals), NASA spends more on 

technology. On operational programs such 

as ISS, a larger percentage of budget is 

used for systems engineering, integration, 

test, operations and other support activity 

(See Figure 4.) 

3 
Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry

Research, development

and manufacturing of

technoiogy 

Systems engineering,

integration, test,

operations and other

support 

Figure 4. FY 2012 budget by type of activity for each of the five programs analyzed. 

NASA Programs Invest in a Broad Range of Technology Areas 

NASA uses an organizing framework for technology development and 

demonstration efforts called the Technology Area Breakdown Structure (TABS). 

The TABS framework covers 14 technology areas that collectively categorize all 

NASA’s technology activity. As part of the analysis of these five programs, the FY 

2012 budget for each program was mapped to the TABS framework. The analysis 

showed these programs were developing technologies in every technology area. 

(See Figure 5.) Most of the development in launch propulsion systems is from SLS, 

while the STP program is developing technologies in each of the 14 technology 

areas. 

Space Launch System 

James Webb Space Telescope 

Commercial Crew 

Space Technology Program 

International Space Station 

Figure 5. FY 2012 detail of technology development in the five programs, grouped 

by technology area. 

4 
NASA Impacts

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NASA’s Technology Investments Provide Potential Earth Applications 

NASA invests in many technology areas with the potential for terrestrial applications. 

Table 1 features some examples of possible down-to-Earth applications from 

advances in these areas. 

Technology Area 

TA01: Launch propulsion systems, 

including turbine-based jet engines, 

propellants, engine system sensors and 

new propulsion technologies 

Examples of Down-to-Earth Applications 

Faster, cheaper air transportation

Safer, more efficient fuels for air and ground

transportation

Better safety measures for all engines

Lower cost to access space, including future

tourism ventures

TA02: In-space propulsion 

technologies, including beamed energy 

propulsion and fusion propulsion 

Satellite refueling and servicing

Improved satellite propulsion

Improved superconducting technologies

TA03: Space power and energy 

storage, including fuel cells, 

photovoltaics, batteries, wireless power 

transmission, and green energy 

Improved solar power generation

Batteries, power, and portable consumer

electronics from phones to hybrid vehicles

Wireless charging technologies

Wireless transmission of power to areas of low

infrastructure

Alternatives to fossil fuels

TA04: Robotics, telerobotics, and 

autonomous systems, including terrain 

analysis and navigation and immersive 

visualization, semi-automatic systems, 

and robotic manipulation 

Drone systems and IED disposal for defense

applications

More robust manufacturing automation, such as

car assembly

Advanced prosthetics for limb replacement

Telemedicine, including robotic surgery

Automated vehicles

Advances in terrain mapping and automated

navigation

TA 05: Communication and 

navigation, including optical 

communications; position, 

navigation, and timing; disruptive 

tolerant networking; and quantum 

communications 

Faster, more secure data transmission and

increased bandwidth

Advanced GPS systems with location-specific

hazard warnings

Faster, more robust wireless networks

Cybersecurity

TA06: Human health, life support, and 

habitation systems, including portable 

life support systems; medical diagnosis 

and prognosis; air, water, and microbial 

sensors; and radiation mitigation 

Synthetic biology

Telemedicine

Disaster preparedness and response

Environmental remediation

TA07: Human exploration destination 

systems, including destination 

reconnaissance, prospecting and 

mapping, consumables production, EVA

and surface mobility, and habitat systems 

Advanced mining technologies

Emergency planning, response, and

management

Protective garments

Sustainable, energy-efficient buildings

5 
Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry

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Technology Area Examples of Down-to-Earth Applications 

TA08: Science instruments, 

observatories, and sensor systems, 

including remote sensing instruments, 

lasers, optical mirror systems, and 

antennas 

Advanced medical imaging

Sensors for weather and climate

Faster, more sensitive instruments

TA09: Entry, descent, and landing 

systems, including entry modeling

and simulation, deployable hypersonic 

decelerators, landing modeling and 

simulation, and atmosphere and surface 

characterization 

Improved hazard avoidance for aircraft

Hypersonics for passenger and cargo

transportation

TA10. Nanotechnology, including 

damage-tolerant systems, sensors and 

actuators, and miniature instruments 

Smaller, implantable devices

Advanced armor

Lightweight materials and structures

New computing systems

TA11. Modeling, simulation, 

information technology, and 

processing, including computing, flight 

computing, human-system performance 

modeling, and simulation-based systems 

engineering and training 

Virtual and augmented reality systems

Improved informatics and data analytics

Faster computers

Greater data storage

TA12. Materials, structures, 

mechanical systems, and 

manufacturing, including lightweight 

structures and special materials, 

intelligent integrated manufacturing 

and cyber physical systems, and 

nondestructive evaluation and sensors 

Additive manufacturing

Multifunctional materials

Advanced composites with improved strength

and weight

Self-repairing and self-cleaning materials

TA13. Ground and launch systems 

processing, including autonomous 

command and control; tracking, 

surveillance, and flight safety 

technologies; environmental remediation 

and site restoration; and weather 

prediction and mitigation 

Improved air traffic control via vehicle tracking

and atmospheric characterization

More accurate weather forecasting

Faster, better cleanup of environmental hazards

Complex assembly and construction system

control

TA14. Thermal management systems, 

including cryogenic systems, thermal 

control systems, and thermal protection 

systems 

Advanced cryogenics for superconducting

computer and medical applications

Improved performance of mechanical and

computer systems requiring thermal control

Fire prevention and protection

Table 1. Technical Area Breakdown Structure (TABS) and examples of down-to-Earth 

applications related to advancing those technologies. 

6 
NASA Impacts

NASA Engages U.S. Manufacturing Sectors 

Re-invigorating the manufacturing sector is a top U.S. priority, and NASA’s 

spending contributes to that objective. Analysis of FY 2012 spending in the five 

programs evaluated identifies nearly $2 billion for technology manufacturing 

in the top five U.S. manufacturing subsectors. NASA manufacturing needs are 

extensive and varied, including elements as diverse as electrical components, 

simulation chambers, and industrial chemical compounds. Extrapolating the data 

from the five programs analyzed to NASA’s total budget suggests NASA spent 

nearly $5 billion in these manufacturing subsectors, as shown in Figure 6. 

Figure 6. NASA’s FY 2012 technology investments in the five NASA programs analyzed 

(JWST, ISS, Commercial Crew, SLS, and STP). 

NASA Contributes to Global Emerging Technologies 

NASA invests in cutting edge emerging technologies to support and advance 

its programs. In 2012, the World Economic Forum (WEF), a globally recognized 

nonprofit foundation that engages business, political, academic, and other leaders 

to shape global, regional, and industry agendas, identified 10 technological trends 

that were expected to have major social, economic, and environmental impacts 

worldwide. The analysis of the FY 2012 spending in the five programs indicates 

that these programs spent over $114 million on all 10 emerging technologies. 

Extrapolating those results shows that the Agency likely spent an estimated total 

of $300 million on all 10 of these high impact technologies. (See Figures 7 and 8.) 

7 
Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry

Informatics for 

adding value to 

information

$20M

Synthetic biology 

and metabolic 

engineering

$3M

Green Revolution 

2.0 (technologies for 

increased food and 

biomass)

$2M

Nanoscale design 

of materials

$5M

Systems biology and 

computational modeling/

simulation of chemical 

and biological systems

$4M

Utilization of 

carbon dioxide as a 

resource

$7M

Wireless power

$6M

High energy density 

power systems

$15M

Personalized 

medicine, nutrition and 

disease prevention

$45M

Enhanced Education 

Technology

$8M

Figure 7. NASA’s investments in emerging technologies in the five programs in FY 2012. 

The technologies are listed in order of greatest potential to provide solutions to global

challenges, as identified by the WEF. 

Space Launch System 

James Webb Space Telescope 

Commercial Crew 

Space Technology Program 

International Space Station 

Figure 8. Percentage of program spending in emerging technology development in the five 

programs during FY 2012. 

8 
NASA Impacts

NASA Contributes to National Science and Technology Priorities 

In 2012, the White House released Science and Technology Priorities for the 

FY 2014 Budget, consisting of nine priorities of strategic importance to the

United States. The priorities range from building capabilities in advanced 

manufacturing and clean energy to creating the tools and analyses needed to 

make informed policy decisions. In the five programs examined for FY 2012, 

NASA’s technology development efforts supported all nine national science and 

technology priorities outlined by the White House. About $417 million spent by 

these programs align with national priorities, with an estimated Agency total of 

over $2 billion (including elements of NASA’s Earth Science program). 

Advanced 

Manufacturing

$17 M

Global Climate 

Change 

$212 M

Clean Energy

$35 M

R&D for Informed 

Policy-Making & 

Management 

$7 M

Information 

Technology R&D 

$82 M

Nanotechnology

$6 M

Biological 

Innovation

$49 M

STEM Education

$10 M 

(5 programs)

Innovation & 

Comercialization 

$173M

Figure 9. NASA’s FY 2012 spending in Commercial Crew, ISS, JWST, SLS, and 

STP aligned with the White House’s latest science and technology priorities.

Input/Output Modeling Shows NASA’s Spending Has Bigger Transactional

Impact than the Federal Average 

Spending by any government agency generates transactional impacts (direct, 

indirect, induced), often referred to as economic impacts (though there are 

other types of economic impact as well). NASA spends the majority of its 

budget (83 percent in FY 2012) on businesses and universities that work 

with the Agency. Many of NASA’s expenditures focus on highly specialized 

services and products procured in the U.S., which is especially important for 

manufacturing. These expenditures generate greater economic impacts than 

spending on NASA employees alone. 

An analysis of NASA’s spending on jobs, goods, and services using a 

traditional economic input/output model quantifies the effects of this spending 

as it ripples through the economy. This view does not include the unique 

value of the impacts of knowledge creation or innovation, but rather is a top 

level, transactional view of how NASA’s spending supports and generates 

9 
Invests in Technology 

and U.S. Industry

jobs, earnings, and economic activity 

throughout the country. 

An input/output analysis using 

IMPLAN (a widely used input-output 

modeling software) shows that every 

dollar NASA spends on employees, 

businesses, universities, and others 

generates $2.60 of output in the 

economy, as compared to the federal 

non-military average of $2.30 and the 

federal military average of $2.00. 

Businesses, 

universities, and others 

supporting NASA 

NASA 

employees $3B 

(17%)

$15B 

(83%) 

Figure 10. NASA’s FY 2012 budget allocation 

to employees and organizations. 

10 
NASA Impacts

 


	

NASA Spurs Innovation and

Business Growth 

Every year, NASA creates thousands of new innovative products, services, and 

processes. Many of these new technologies are subsequently transferred to 

industry for commercial use or integrated into the next generation of NASA’s 

technology development. In the process, new companies, new jobs, and new 

revenue are created. 

NASA Uses Multiple Pathways to Commercialize Innovations 

NASA uses multiple pathways to commercialize its innovations. NASA has made 

its technologies available to thousands of entrepreneurs and firms, helping to 

develop and improve a wide variety of products and services. NASA programs 

and partnerships generate new technologies, documented in New Technology 

Reports (NTRs). NASA averages 1,600 NTRs each year. NASA transfers and 

reports technologies, processes and software through a variety of mechanisms, 

as shown in Figure 11. Transactions vary from a single seat software license to 

supporting the development of image sensors for cell phone cameras (those 

used in 75 percent, in fact). Experts at NASA believe there may be additional 

transfer, perhaps as much as 20 percent, using informal mechanisms such as 

publications and access to NASA datasets. 

Figure 11. Pathways to commercialized innovations.
	

11 
Spurs Innovation and 

Business Growth

NASA Creates and Transfers 

Thousands of Technologies Annually 

NASA profiles a small number of its 

successful technology transfers— 

typically, 50 a year—in its Spinoff 

publication. A few additional transfers are 

profiled in the Agency’s Small Business 

Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small 

Business Technology Transfer (STTR) 

success stories. As shown in Figure 12, 

the technology transfers NASA profiles 

each year are a small subset of transfers 

that actually take place. In 2012, NASA 

executed more than 2,200 technology 

transfer transactions, through its Space 

Act Agreements, Software Usage 

Agreements, licenses, and SBIRs/STTRs. 

These technology transfers generate 

revenue for both NASA and the broader 

economy. Figure 12. What NASA reports in the 

Spinoff publication is only the tip of the

technology transfer iceberg. 

NASA Innovations May Generate $1 Million in Revenue for Each Spinoff3 

Accurately estimating revenue generated from technology transfers is difficult. 

In 2011, NASA’s technology transfer office surveyed companies featured 

in Spinoff to determine the impacts generated by NASA spinoffs. Survey 

respondents were asked to give total revenue related to spinoff activity. Nearly 

200 companies responded, and 116 provided estimates of revenue related to 

NASA spinoff activity. Of those, 39 respondents’ data could be used to derive 

annual estimates. Analysis of these data indicate the median annual revenue 

per spinoff per year is $1 million. The median is used as the measure of central 

tendency due to the skewed nature of the data. 

These data, based on a very small sample, lead to a wide variation in possible 

estimates of typical revenue, from $100 million to $1 billion annually. For example, 

the estimate could be as low at $100 million if the revenue estimate is based 

only on licenses and documented spinoffs for a single year. In contrast, the 

estimate could reach over $1 billion annually, if product technology transfers 

generate revenue for multiple years. 

12 
NASA Impacts

There is currently no systematic process in place to gather data related to revenues 

generated from NASA’s transferred technologies. Ad hoc surveys provide limited 

data that typically capture cumulative rather than annual revenues. They also 

tend to focus on more recent awardees and represent companies that have been 

successful—hence their inclusion in Spinoff. There is also a commercialization lag 

(the amount of sales made and the number of projects that generate sales) that 

is generally undercounted in a snapshot survey taken at a single point in time. 

Finally, some transfer mechanisms may not generate as much revenue as others, 

such as SAAs for facility use. 

Median annual 

revenue per spinoff

per year is $1 million 

Figure 13. Annual revenue per spinoffs. 

13 
Advances Space-Related 

Industries

NASA Advances 

Space-related Industries 

Since 1958, NASA has consistently created new technologies that help advance 

globally important space-related industries. Space-related industries like 

communications, remote sensing, and navigation enhance modern life and help 

drive economic growth. NASA has contributed meaningfully to each of these 

industries. NASA enabled the first weather imagery to be transmitted from space, 

deployed the first geosynchronous satellite, and first acheived human access 

beyond low Earth orbit. This report describes and illustrates NASA’s contribution 

to one industry, weather, as a representative example. 

Satellite 

Communication 

Satellite 

Navigation 

Television • Telephone GPS (timing and 

Internet • Radio synchronization) • GIS 

Remote 

Sensing 

Space

Access 

Weather • Mining Suborbital spaceflight 

Agriculture Orbital launch 

Mapping • Utilities 

Figure 14. NASA has contributed to critically important space-related 

commercial industries. 

NASA’s Contribution to the Weather Industry 

Data from weather satellites affects day-to-day routines, saves lives in advance 

of disasters, and makes high impact contributions to industries like agriculture 

and energy . NASA built the first weather satellite TIROS-1 in 1960, and has been 

building and advancing the technology ever since. NASA builds satellites for other 

agencies including the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA). As of 2011, NASA has built more than 50 weather satellites and will 

continue to push technological boundaries to make weather forecasts faster and 

more accurate. See Figure 15 for more highlights of NASA’s contributions to the 

weather forecasting industry. 

14 
NASA Impacts

1964: NIMBUS-1 

launched

1960: TIROS-1 

weather satellite 

launched

TIROS-1 

demonstrated that 

accurate weather 

forecasts could 

result from data 

gathered from 

space. NASA

launched 15 

TIROS satellites 

from 1960 to 

1976 to aid early 

development

of the U.S. 

meteorological 

satellite system. 

NIMBUS-1 was 

the first in the 

next generation of 

weather satellites. 

Later NIMBUS 

satellites would 

carry atmospheric 

temperature, 

water vapor, and 

ozone 

measurement 

equipment. 

Figure 15. Selected NASA contributions to the weather forecasting industry. 

15 
Advances Space-Related 

Industries

GOES-1 was 

identical to the SMS 

satellites. GOES-4 

introduced vertical 

measurements 

that enabled 3-D 

imaging of weather. 

The GOES 

satellite system

has remained 

an essential 

cornerstone 

of weather 

observations and 

forecasting for 25

years.* 

SMS-1 and -2 

were the first 

geosynchronous

weather 

satellites and 

paved the way

for continuous 

monitoring from

a single spot

above Earth. 

The Suomi 

National 

Polar-orbiting

Partnership

represents

a critical first 

step in building

the nextgeneration

of weather 

satellites for 

the U.S. 

The $1.7B U.S 

weather industry 

includes about 300 

private commercial

weather vendors,

who access U.S. 

National Weather 

Service (NWS)

data for free. 

Over 50% of the 

U.S. public uses 

3-to-5-day weather

forecasts to plan

recreational and 

business activities. 

Routine weather 

events can 

have an annual 

economic impact 

of 3.4% of U.S. 

GDP, or $485 

billion annually. 

Polar-orbiting 

satellites provided

84% of the data 

used to track 

Hurricane Sandy

in October 2012. 

Search-andrescue instruments 

on polar-orbiting 

weather satellites 

have contributed 

to saving over

18,500 lives. 

The Weather 

Channel is one of 

the most highly 

watched cable 

stations in the 

world. It reaches 

100 U.S. million 

households. 

1974-75: SMS-1 

and SMS-2 

launched

As of 2011, NASA 

has built and 

launched over 50 

weather satellites

2011: SUOMI 

NPP launched

1975: GOES-1 

launched

*NASA designs, builds, and launches GOES satellites, and once they are operational in-orbit, NOAA

assumes day-to-day operations of the satellite. 

Figure 15. Selected NASA contributions to the weather forecasting industry (continued). 

16 
NASA Impacts

NASA Promotes Collaboration

and Supports Foreign Policy

NASA promotes economy-strengthening collaboration through its agreements 

with international partners, domestic companies, academia, and other U.S. 

government agencies. Through its international agreements, NASA supports 

U.S. foreign policy. 

NASA’s Space Act Agreements Promote Collaboration and Innovation 

Space Act Agreements (SAAs) are NASA’s primary vehicle for external 

collaboration. SAAs provide for collaborative research and design, use of 

facilities, modeling, technology demonstrations, data sharing, and design 

competitions with schools. NASA’s SAAs strengthen the economy and facilitate 

innovation by providing expertise and resources to hundreds of partners. 

Through the SAAs, NASA also receives access to technologies and capabilities 

that are not part of its core competencies. As of October 2012, NASA had 2,031 

active SAAs with 492 companies. Most agreements (910) are with commercial 

partners, followed by other federal agencies (833), educational institutions 

(141), and state or local governments (124). The remaining 22 agreements are 

with national laboratories, the National Science Foundation, interagency working 

groups, and similar partners. 

Figure 16. NASA’s 2,031 SAAs provide for collaborative research and design, use of

facilities, modeling, technology demonstrations, data sharing, and design competitions

with schools. 

17 
Promotes Collaboration and 

Supports Foreign Policy

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•


 

NASA’s International Agreements Support U.S. Foreign Policy 

NASA’s international agreements strengthen foreign policy by supporting national 

goals for collaborative research and development. The current National Security 

Strategy (2010) describes U.S. foreign policy priorities and how the government 

intends to address them. The National Security Strategy states U.S. interests by 

ensuring the security of U.S. citizens and allies; fostering a strong, innovative 

U.S. economy; respecting universal values; and advancing international order 

that promotes peace, security, and opportunity. 

Engaging nations and institutions around the world is an important component of 

the Strategy. As of October 2012, NASA had 572 active international agreements 

with two-thirds of the world’s countries; all are consistent with National Security 

Strategy goals, as shown in Table 3. There are 563 agreements that meet the 

National Security Strategy goal of enhancing science, technology, and innovation; 

123 that meet the objective of strengthening education and human capital; and 

23 that relate to sustaining broad cooperation on key global challenges like 

safeguarding the global commons and studying climate change. NASA currently 

has agreements with 121 countries, plus the Canadian Space Agency and three 

multinational organizations (European Space Agency, European Union, and the 

European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites). 

National Security

Strategy Goals Description Countries Agreements 

Strengthen education 

and human capital 

114 123 

Improve education at all 

levels

Invest in STEM

Increase international

education and exchange

Enhance science, 

technology, and 

innovation 71 563 

Invest in research 

Expand international

science partnerships

Leverage and grow

space capabilities

Sustain broad 

cooperation on key 

global challenges 

16 23 

Safeguard the global

commons

Study climate change

Table 3. NASA’s 572 active international agreements support three National Security 

Strategy goals.
 

18 
NASA Impacts

NASA Leverages Interest in

Science and Technology 

Through challenges and citizen scientist programs, NASA leverages expertise 

and innovative thinking accross industries and from the general public to 

advance its research and engage many communities. 

NASA Motivates Participation in Science and Technology Challenges 

NASA challenges are open, public competitions to solve a particular problem or 

accomplish goals related to the Agency’s research objectives. These challenges 

are designed to ignite public interest and jumpstart innovation. Since 2007, 

more than 5,000 individuals and over 100 corporate teams have participated 

in NASA challenges, and NASA has awarded nearly $6.5 million to the winners. 

NASA is a leader in challenges and helps administer challenges for other 

federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Agency 

for International Development, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 

Challenge Type Number of

Challenges 

Number of

participants Awards Challenge focus examples

Centennial 

Challenges

Program 

24 117 teams 

$6M 

awarded 

since 2007 

Green Aviation, Power 

Beaming, Lunar Lander, 

Astronaut Glove 

Innovation 

Challenges 9 Over 3,700participants 

$111,000 

awarded 

since 2009 

Microgravity Laundry 

System, Forecasting Solar

Events 

NASA 

Tournament Lab 10 Over 1,425participants 

$200,000

awarded 

since 2011 

Android Electrocardiography, 

Detecting Impact Craters 

Table 4. NASA challenge program. 

NASA Involves Citizen Scientists in its 

Missions 

NASA also engages the public through 

citizen scientist projects. Citizen scientists 

are interested enough in NASA’s work 

to contribute to NASA projects for free. 

More than 1.2 million people from about 

80 countries have participated in active 

NASA citizen science projects. 

Citizen Science Spotlight: Nearly

3,000 amateur image processors

used NASA’s Hubble archive 

as part of the European Space

Agency’s Hubble Hidden Treasures 

contest. More than 1,000 neverbefore-publicized Hubble images

were processed. 

19 
Leverages Interest in 

 Science and Technology

Project Citizen Scientist Role Participants 

Be a Martian 

Assist Mars science teams by tagging 

rover images and mapping craters from

satellite pictures. 

1,230,000 

HiTranslate Help translate NASA’s Mars HiRISE 

image captions into different languages. 1,021 new in 2012 

International 

Space Apps 

Challenge 

Two-day teaming event to develop 

apps (mobile, software, hardware, data 

visualization, and platforms). 

2,083 from 17 countries in

2012 

Lunar Impacts 

Help monitor rates and sizes of large 

meteoroids striking the moon’s dark side. 28 impact candidates from 

3 countries 

Rock Around 

the World 

Help better understand Mars by sending 

rocks to NASA for analysis using 

instruments like those on Spirit and

Opportunity. 

12,461 rocks received 

from 79 countries 

Stardust at 

Home 

Help in the search for the first samples 

of solid matter from outside the solar 

system. 

30,649 from 2006-2012 

Target 

Asteroids! 

Observe asteroids to help understand 

them, refine orbits, and determine

composition. 

104 registered users from 

23 countries 

Table 5. NASA citizen scientist projects.

20 
NASA Impacts

 

		

		

		

		

•

•		

•		

•		

NASA Inspires People

Around the World 

NASA’s science and exploration missions inspire individuals and further scientific 

inquiry around the world. We can view NASA’s inspirational impact through: 

Public interest in NASA 

NASA’s contributions to the worldwide scientific knowledge base 

NASA’s role as a trusted source of scientific information 

High demand for NASA positions among the next generation of scientists, 

engineers, and highly skilled workers 

NASA Inspires Widespread Interest 

Social media platforms provide direct insight into what interests people and how 

they share information. An analysis of the Agency’s @NASA Twitter account, which 

has nearly 4 million followers, shows that NASA’s social media following is greater 

than all other U.S. government agencies and eclipses all other space agencies and 

(Figures 17 and 18). In addition to @NASA, people follow the Twitter accounts of 

NASA programs, people and Centers. The combined following of these accounts 

is more than 12 million (not necessarily unique followers, Figure 19). 

Figure 17. @NASA has more Twitter followers than any 

other federal agency. 

21 
Inspires People 

 Around the World

Figure 18. NASA’s social media influence eclipses other 

international space agencies. 

NASA has won multiple Shorty Awards, which are presented by Sawhorse Media 

to individuals and organizations for innovative use of social media. In 2012, NASA 

was honored at a ceremony in New York with the award for best government use 

of social media for its NASA Socials and emphasis on getting children interested 

in space. Additionally, in 2012, the Curiosity landing on Mars was viewed 3.2 

million times. 

Centers 

10% NASA 

Leadership,

Astronauts, and 

Other Employees

25% 

@NASA 

26% 

Programs and

Projects

39% 

Figure 19. In 2012, @NASA combined with NASA programs, Centers, and people had more 

than 12 million followers. 

22 
NASA Impacts

NASA Generates New Scientific Knowledge 

NASA makes 95 data sets available on its data.nasa.gov site. These data sets 

cover a broad range of information on space, Earth, life, climate science, and 

engineering. These 95 sites are visited nearly a billion times each year, indicating 

the Agency’s contribution to science and influence in scientific communities. 

For example, in 2012, the Earth Observing System Data and Information 

System (EOSDIS) delivered 625 million data products, the Gateway to Astronaut 

Photography of Earth site had 250 million visits, the Earth Observatory site had 7 

million visits, NASA World Wind had 1 million visits, and the Solar Data Analysis 

Center DataFinder had 6,000 visits. 

Figure 20. 

NASA’s public

data sets cover 

a broad range of

information on 

space, earth, life,

climate science,

and engineering.4 

NASA is a Widely Respected Source of Scientific Information 

NASA itself has been mentioned in more than 1.4 million English-language 

academic articles since 2002; 20 of the Agency’s most popular missions (before 

Curiosity)—Spirit and Opportunity, Hubble, Chandra, Apollo, Viking, Phoenix, 

Galileo, and others—account for about a quarter of these mentions. 

Figure 21. 

Program

mentions in 

academic articles 

since 2002. 

23 
Inspires People 

 Around the World

NASA Trains and Engages the Next

Generation of Scientists and Engineers 

NASA internships and fellowships are in high 

demand. More than 8,000 students applied for 

internships, fellowships, and scholarships in 

FY 2011. NASA awarded 889 undergraduate 

internships and 296 graduate fellowships in 

FY 2011 in science, technology, engineering, 

math, and other subject areas. The greatest 

number of applicants and awards were in the 

engineering and science disciplines. 

Area of Study % in each area 

Science 27% 

Technology 8% 

Engineering 52% 

Mathematics 3% 

Business & Other 10% 

Table 7. The greatest number

of applicants and awards were

in the engineering and science

disciplines. 

Over 1,300 graduate

students applied for

NASA fellowships 

in FY 2011. NASA 

awarded 296 (23%) 

Over 7,000 students

applied for undergraduate

internships in FY 2011. 

NASA awarded 889 (12%) 

Over 400 students

applied for

scholarships in FY

2011. NASA awarded 

120 (28%) 

Total applicants Opportunities awarded

Figure 22. Training with NASA is in high demand, as evidenced by the large qualified 

applicant pool. 

24 
NASA Impacts

NASA reaches out to millions of K-12 students nationwide every year, as 

evidenced by student participation in NASA’s activities and student use of NASA’s 

website. NASA engages with millions of K-12 teachers and students nationwide 

via activities and web content, indirectly inspiring countless students. In total, the 

NASA education website was visited more than 60 million times in FY 2011, and 

more than 2 million educational materials were downloaded. 

6 million views by

K-12 teachers 

OFFICE OF 

EDUCATION 

KIDS CLUB 

19 million page

views 

FOR EDUCATORS 

27 million page views 

PORTAL WEBSITE 

64 million total page views 

2.5 million downloads of 

educational materials 

Figure 23. NASA’s education-related websites were frequently

accessed by students and teachers alike in FY 2011. 

25 
Conclusion
 

Curiosity takes a self-portrait. 

NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon

Thruster (NEXT) ion engine sets

the world record for continuous 

operation. 

For less than half a percent of the federal budget, 

NASA is immersed in some of the greatest 

challenges in science and technology, learning 

from the past and planning decades into the future. 

In addition to acheivements like Hubble images 

of nebulae and galaxies, the Curiosity finding 

evidence of water in Mars’ past, and new records 

in human endurance aboard ISS, NASA affects the 

economy and society. 

By quantifying six types of socioeconomic impact, 

we can begin to understand NASA’s critical role 

in the national economy, creating employment, 

developing cutting-edge technology, supporting 

business growth, advancing space-related 

industries, promoting partnership among nations, 

expanding the scientific knowledge base, and 

engaging people of all ages in the thrill of discovery, 

creating a lasting legacy of innovation and pride. 

Conclusion 

The Carina Nebula is about 7,500 light years away. This 

image is a composite of 48 high-resolution frames taken

by the Hubble telescope. 

Astronaut Scott Kelly will spend a year 

on the ISS to understand how humans 

adapt to long space missions. 

26 
Endnotes 

1

 As reported in the FY 2013 Congressional Budget Justification available at 

http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.html. 2

 Cross-Agency support includes the institutional management of the Agency, 

its field centers, and its strategic assets, such as specialized testing facilities. 

Information technology, independent verification and validation, and safety and 

mission assurance are also included in cross-Agency support. Construction and 

Environmental includes construction and maintenance of facilities, environmental 

compliance, and restoration. 

3

 Based on an analysis of data on a limited set of companies featured in NASA’s 

Spinoff publication. 

4

 Based on analysis conducted by The Tauri Group. Image credit: Wordle.net. 

27 
This report, “NASA Socio-Economic Impacts,” was developed with government 

funding under Contract Order Number NNH12CF40D awarded by the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration and may be released by NASA in whole 

or in part. The views expressed in this report are those of The Tauri Group and 

may not reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

or the United States Government. 

space.taurigroup.com @taurispace