Idaho technology may play vital role in future missions to other planets

Space will be the next frontier for commerce if the high-tech community at the University of Idaho Research Park has its way.

Call it a scientific social or schmoozing for science — just don’t try to say it too fast — but Wednesday’s Corridor Connection at the park held out the hope for the moon and the stars, or at least Pluto and Mars.

"Missions to the moon and Mars require enormous involvement from the private sector," said Hank Artis, director of the TechConnect-North program at the park, which works to help bring technological innovations to the marketplace.

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President George W. Bush has proposed manned missions to Mars and the moon, and NASA is expected to sign contracts totaling as much as $400 billion during the next 20 years.

But even if later administrations are more down to earth in their space efforts, the Northwest already has research and production facilities in place to meet the needs. Idaho Commerce & Labor’s Small Business Innovation Research grant program has $100,000 available to help write research grants, Artis said.

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA) http://www.inwspace.org

Full Story: http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2006/03/31/business/bus01.txt

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