NASA Economic Math: Simple Answers Are Hard - Fancy Equations Are Easy

Keith's note: Three weeks ago I sent NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan (and NASA HQ PAO) a simple question about her statement regarding NASA's value to America's economy i.e."there was a report that showed that for ever $1.00 you spend on NASA you get $4.00 returned to the economy". As I have been ranting for the past month Stofan - and the rest of NASA - refuses to answer a simple media inquiry about a public claim by NASA about returns on investments in NASA technology. Yet that has not stopped NASA from putting out a report today titled "Economic Development of Low Earth Orbit" that includes complicated fancy math to calculate what an investment in ISS R&D can expect to see emerging from that investment (page 46):

As you can see the math in my original question was much simpler than what is in this report (image of full reference). The report goes on to gush about the economic potential of space commerce with regard to Low Earth Orbit. That economic potential is most likely quite real. Alas NASA is not necessarily the best equipped to actually understand that commercial potential - much less act strategically to facilitate its development. NASA is also under some collective delusion that it actually understands "commerce" since they seem to think that "commerce" is equivalent to government spending. Just ask Bart.

In the mean time it is clear that one part of NASA is not talking to other. While one office on the 9th floor is incapable of responding to a simple question on this topic just a few feet down the hall NASA's Deputy Administrator's office is co-launching this report with the White House - including the fancy math that is over the head of NASA's Chief Scientist.

NASA Cannot Answer A Simple, Basic Question on Its Value, earlier post

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