Partnering with Dryden

    We're Interested in Collaborating with You


    Working together to achieve mutually compatible goals makes for cost-effective, time-efficient, win-win technology-based partnerships. Dryden’s Innovative Partnerships Office (IPO) actively promotes partnerships between industry, academia, and other government agencies and Dryden’s researchers, leveraging Dryden’s technology, expertise, and facilities solve technological challenges for NASA and its partners.

    NASA’s partnership efforts employ the Open Innovation approach – leveraging external ideas to develop novel solutions that meet NASA’s needs as well as have applications in other industries.

    Open Innovation provides Dryden with a cost-effective and efficient means of leveraging technologies being developed by industry, academia, other government agencies, and other NASA centers to meet the needs of its missions. These technology solutions are then infused into Dryden’s programs. These partnerships not only benefit NASA, they also benefit the partners by providing:

    • An opportunity to grow or sustain their business through further development, enhancement, or refinement of the jointly developed technology
    • The opportunity to leverage Dryden’s facilities and expertise during further technology development
    • Shared up-front investment and risk with NASA
    • The potential for an ongoing relationship with Dryden by acquiring insight into NASA challenges and requirements

    Partnerships at Dryden are typically formalized in a Space Act Agreement, which is a vehicle for working with NASA—not a procurement contract. Depending on the nature of the project, a Space Act Agreement may be reimbursable, in which case the external party reimburses Dryden for Dryden’s labor, equipment, and/or facilities, or non-reimbursable, in which case each party contributes to the project at its own expense.

    Considerations for Partnerships


    We encourage organizations interested in partnerships to review the considerations below, our Frequently Asked Questions page, and the Space Act Agreements Guide.

    • What specifically do you want to accomplish through this partnership?
    • Is there a demonstrable Dryden mission or program requirement for this activity? Could other Mission Directorates or centers benefit?
    • What Dryden support are you seeking?
      • Access to Dryden researchers
      • Access to Dryden facilities
      • Access to Dryden equipment
    • Are the resources or expertise that you are seeking from Dryden unique to Dryden (i.e., not generally commercially available)?
    • What unique capabilities/facilities does Dryden have that you feel are critical for a successful partnership?
    • What will you contribute to the partnership?
    • How will you demonstrate to Dryden your ability to meet your requirements—both expertise and financial—under the partnership?
    • Is your contribution to the project equitable in comparison to Dryden’s?
    • What are your risks on this project?
    • What are Dryden’s risks?
    • Have you had a Space Act Agreement with NASA previously?
    • What is your timeline for completing the agreement and the project?