Feb. 26, 2007

J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-5241

RELEASE: 07-52

NASA AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PARTNER FOR AERONAUTICAL TESTING

WASHINGTON - NASA and the Department of Defense recently signed an 
agreement to develop an integrated national strategy for managing 
their respective aeronautical test facilities. NASA Administrator 
Michael Griffin and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, 
Technology and Logistics Kenneth Krieg signed the National 
Partnership for Aeronautical Testing (NPAT) agreement.

The agreement expands the dialogue beyond the test and evaluation 
communities to include industry, academia and the science and 
technology interests from both agencies. Aeronautical test facilities 
are used for testing vehicles (e.g., aircraft, missiles or space 
vehicles) or for related scientific and engineering studies. They 
include wind tunnels, propulsion test facilities, simulation 
facilities and open-air ranges.

The agreement also established an NPAT council responsible for the 
development of projects that streamline and economize the management 
of aeronautical test facilities. It is co-chaired by Lisa Porter, 
associate administrator of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission 
Directorate, and John Foulkes, director of the Department of 
Defense's Test Resource Management Center.

The partnership is one element of both agencies' response to the 
National Aeronautics Research and Development Policy President Bush 
signed in December 2006. 

For more information about NASA's aeronautics program, visit:

http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov
http://www.nasa.gov 

	
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