TRDA - SATOP Program

NASA PROGRAM EXPANDS TO BENEFIT CENTRAL NEW YORK

Titusville, Fla. - The State of Florida’s Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA) joined with NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, Congressman James T. Walsh and the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce to welcome the SATOP program to New York during a press conference March 13, 2001.

At the press conference, Central New York Congressman James T. Walsh announced that he has successfully included provisions in the Federal Fiscal Year 2001 National Aeronautics and Space Administration appropriations bill that will expand an extremely successful NASA economic development program to several regions, including Central New York.

Administrator Goldin spoke briefly on the benefits of transferring space technology to the private sector. He also praised the success of SATOP run by the TRDA in Florida and Texas. The program is already credited with saving and creating more than 1000 jobs, generating over $47 million in sales revenues and assisting small businesses to attract more than $23 million in capital investments in its base state of Florida.

Frank Kinney, executive director with TRDA, provided examples of small businesses, which have taken advantage of the connection to space technology resources. Kinney also outlined the simple procedure in which companies describe their technology or engineering related issue on a single page form and within 90 days companies receive a solution from one of the many space alliance partners of SATOP.

To date, TRDA has managed SATOP in Florida and Texas. With the expansion of the program, TRDA will act as the administrative arm to SATOP overseeing activities in New York, New Mexico, as well as Texas and Florida.

The Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program, or SATOP, lets small and medium businesses tap the top minds within America’s space program to solve technical challenges in a variety of areas including manufacturing, communications, and many other fields. The free program, which was developed in1995, is available to all types of businesses through local chambers and economic development organizations.

According to Walsh, “SATOP has assisted hundreds of companies, saved small businesses from closure, sped product development, and help to pump millions of dollars into local economies.” He continued, “This program is one way everyday citizens can benefit from the billions of dollars and years of investment that the American people have made, and continue to make, in the space program.”

A network of partner aerospace companies, universities, colleges and NASA centers provide SATOP with the professionals to solve the specific problems or challenges outlined in the brief forms submitted by businesses. The $6 million that will expand the program will provide for continuation and expansion in Florida and Texas, and expansion to New Mexico and New York.