NASA To Auction Patent Licenses

Government Computer News is running a story about NASA and their plans to Auction off licenses to some of their Patents in October. On the surface this sounds like Corporate Welfare at its best, by using Taxpayer funds to conduct research and then sell the fruits of that research to a commercial entity, which will then use the patents to produce a product for sale. However, I really don’t think this is a bad idea. NASA is continually facing budget cuts and shortfalls as Congress in its infinite wisdom does not see Space science as something that we should be spending on, as it will cut into their Pork Barrel spending. NASA would have had to conduct the research regardless

It is important to point out that NASA is not selling the patents, just an exclusive license, and they are doing it in an equitable way that will ensure maximum value to the Agency and Taxpayers, instead of the backroom deals that are usually cut for Intellectual Property licenses.