Simple Civics
How NASA works with private space companies
4/17/2025 | 2m 37sVideo has Closed Captions
While Blue Origin and Space X make headlines, NASA remains as a leader of academic space research.
NASA’s research-driven mission and collaborations with private firms are advancing space technology. From lunar ice analysis to Earth-observing satellites, NASA’s 80+ active missions are shaping our future. The agency can accomplish this abundance of missions thanks to the advancements in spacecraft affordability offered from private space companies like Space X and Blue Origin.
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Simple Civics is a local public television program presented by WFYI
Simple Civics
How NASA works with private space companies
4/17/2025 | 2m 37sVideo has Closed Captions
NASA’s research-driven mission and collaborations with private firms are advancing space technology. From lunar ice analysis to Earth-observing satellites, NASA’s 80+ active missions are shaping our future. The agency can accomplish this abundance of missions thanks to the advancements in spacecraft affordability offered from private space companies like Space X and Blue Origin.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipIn an age where private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are making headlines.
Is NASA still relevant?
While both SpaceX and NASA want to transport people and technology alike to the cosmos, they each have fundamentally different goals, largely deriving from their funding models.
For example, NASA gets its money from the federal budget passed by Congress.
Because of this, they do not need to worry about turning a profit and can focus solely on scientific discovery.
This work helps the private and public sector and can take years of gathering and analyzing data.
However, private space companies actually help NASA in one crucial area, and that's increasing the cost effectiveness of space travel.
Adjusting for inflation, project Apollo, which landed the first man on the moon.
Cost the US over $200 billion in total between the years of 1960 and 1973.
Today it would cost just one tenth of that, and you could even reuse the rocket!
Whereas the spacecraft of yesteryear were single-use only.
At the height of NASA's shuttle program.
Each launch was a national event watched by millions.
While the program ended in 2011, most of its original duties are still carried out today using a combination of government and privately owned spaceships.
Currently, NASA has over 80 active missions.
Theres ‘The Lunar Trailblazer, which aims to study the distribution, abundance and various forms of water on the moon.
And ‘Artemis III, which will see a small group of astronauts to the moon's south pole for a week to conduct research.
This will be NASA's first manned mission to the moon since Apollo 17, in 1972.
Another mission, known as ‘The Earth System Observatory, is made up of five satellites that will work in tandem to create a 3D, holistic view of our planet, from bedrock to atmosphere.
The goal of this mission is to create a system which continually gathers data on natural disasters, forest fires, and agricultural processes.
If you're curious about what else NASA might be up to, you can view all of their active missions at nasa.gov/missions.
So while you may hear a lot about private space companies, know that they work with NASA to further humanity's reach into the stars.
Given the chance, would you go to space?
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Simple Civics is a local public television program presented by WFYI