Government Commissioned a 12-Area Aerospace Study for Nearly $22 Million

On September 22, 2008, a U.S. government representative signed a contract with a private company in Washington for nearly $22 million.

The company was to study potential hazards in aviation and aerospace. The contract called for work plans and reports covering 12 research areas, along with monthly progress reports. It also required a broad assessment of the hazards as a whole. But the document describes what was commissioned, not what the study found.

What the Company Was Expected to Deliver

The contract went to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies. It called for work plans for each of the 12 research areas, as well as research reports. The company was also to submit monthly progress updates.

The subjects concerned potential hazards in aviation and aerospace over a period of more than 40 years. The contract therefore covered not just a single hazard, but a range of topics over an extended period.

A Broader Assessment

Alongside reports on each area, the contract called for an overall assessment of potential hazards. The company was asked to prepare a wide-ranging document examining the different subjects as part of a single picture.

The contract divided the work into an initial period and additional years. It allocated funds for reports, research plans, travel, and other expenses. The total came to nearly $22 million. The sum was tied to a clear list of tasks, not a description of findings.

What Remains Unknown

The document does not name the 12 research areas or say what the study found or which hazards were identified. It also does not explain what was done with the results; parts of it were redacted. The source describes the contract as an administrative record of the work commissioned, not a final research report.

The picture is clear: a list of tasks, a large sum, and questions the document does not answer.