
Google Founders Pick Up Another Big Plane - terpua
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/google-founders-pick-up-another-big-plane/index.html?ex=1349841600&en=bdb2017a789e6331&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
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jsjenkins168
_"As a result of that arrangement, NASA scientists now have access to aircraft
for experiments they might not otherwise be able to perform"_

I am curious as to what that means. The fact that NASA wants to use the Google
plane for experiments seemed immediately strange to me, when they already have
plenty of resources for that purpose.

But maybe these experiments are different somehow? Like ones NASA does not
want to be liable for performing themselves?

The whole deal just seems a bit fishy.

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cperciva
It's probably so that NASA can do experiments for which their director doesn't
want to go in front of Congress and say "yes, we spent $X leasing a plane so
that we could do this". This way, if someone complains about NASA doing loony
experiments (and NASA certainly does loony experiments at times) NASA can say
"sure, we did that -- but it didn't cost any taxpayer dollars".

