Houston's Johnson Space Center is a big part of NASA's recent partnering with SpaceX. NASA Chief Flight Director Holly Ridings says these partnerships are the future of space flight. "In the fall we have the second test flight on the Boeing side. I think that SpaceX and Boeing have learned a lot from NASA with our experience and history and we've learned a lot from them as well."
Ridings says it's a technical and financial partnership. "The partnerships that we have in the commercial industry and what they are able to bring to the table does, in fact,, make our dollars go further. "
NASA and Houston Celebrate a Milestone
Ridings goes on, "As we evolve as a space-faring community, as a space-faring nation, and as a space-faring world - NASA's not going to be able to do it alone and commercial isn't going to be able to do it alone. We will have this partnership."
Ridings reminds us that Johnson Space Center is important to this area. "We're contributing 4.7 billion to the state economy and you talk about jobs --- close to 52 thousand jobs. And this is 2018 numbers"
Photo: NASA