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To foster growth in Maryland\u2019s aerospace industry, the state\u2019s Department of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NASA at the agency\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt Wednesday, May 28, 2024.<\/p>\n
The agreement commits the two organizations to develop the state\u2019s aerospace economy, particularly in the area surrounding Goddard\u2019s main Greenbelt campus, as well as on Maryland\u2019s Eastern Shore near NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur cutting-edge research, and the critical benefits it provides to society, is only possible with the support of strong partnerships outside NASA,\u201d said Goddard Center Director Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, who signed the memo on NASA\u2019s behalf. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to clasp hands with our home state and work together to build up the coalition that will help us all make those next giant leaps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goddard, NASA\u2019s premiere spaceflight complex, hosts the nation\u2019s largest cohort of scientists, engineers, and technologists studying Earth, our solar system, and the universe. Wallops, managed by Goddard for NASA, is the agency\u2019s only owned-and-operated launch range.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaintaining and growing Maryland\u2019s strategic advantage in the aerospace industry requires collaboration with our formidable partners at facilities like the Goddard Space Flight Center,\u201d said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson, signing as the state\u2019s representative. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to sign this agreement, which will support NASA\u2019s innovative work and help make our state more competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n
The three-year agreement details how NASA Goddard and the Maryland Department of Commerce will collaborate to promote technology transfer from NASA Goddard to the private sector, STEM education, aerospace industry development, and community outreach. This includes raising awareness of resources such as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding, supporting the creation and growth of new space-related businesses, leading economic development efforts around the two NASA facilities, and collaborating on a report analyzing NASA Goddard\u2019s economic impact in Maryland.<\/p>\n
Pursuant to the agreement, the Maryland Economic Development Corporation \u00a0will work with the commerce department and NASA Goddard to host business outreach events in Prince George\u2019s County and on the Lower Eastern Shore.<\/p>\n