<p>More government support of open source </p>
<p>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: NASA News <<a href="mailto:hqnews@mediaservices.nasa.gov">hqnews@mediaservices.nasa.gov</a>><br>
Date: Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 12:42 PM<br>
Subject: NASA Clears The Runway For Open Source Software<br>
To: NASA News <<a href="mailto:hqnews@mediaservices.nasa.gov">hqnews@mediaservices.nasa.gov</a>><br></p>
<p>Jan. 18, 2012</p>
<p>Sonja Alexander<br>
Headquarters, Washington<br>
202-358-1761<br>
<a href="mailto:sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov">sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov</a><br></p>
<p>Jessica Culler<br>
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.<br>
650-604-4789<br>
<a href="mailto:jessica.culler@nasa.gov">jessica.culler@nasa.gov</a><br><br><br><br></p>
<p>RELEASE: 12-021</p>
<p>NASA CLEARS THE RUNWAY FOR OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE</p>
<p>MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- The NASA Open Government Initiative has<br>
launched a new website to expand the agency's open source software<br>
development</p>
<p>Open source development, which invites the public access to view and<br>
improve software source code, is transforming the way software is<br>
created, improved and used. NASA uses open source code to address<br>
project and mission needs, accelerate software development and<br>
maximize public awareness and impact of research.</p>
<p>In 2009, the White House issued the Open Government Directive, which<br>
requires federal agencies to take specific steps to achieve<br>
milestones that are transparent. NASA's Open Government Plan has been<br>
recognized as one of the best. NASA was among several federal<br>
agencies recognized with two leading practices awards from the White<br>
House for achievement above and beyond the requirements in the<br>
"Participation and Collaboration" and "Flagship Initiatives"<br>
categories of the Open Government Directive.</p>
<p>"The site represents a natural extension of NASA's efforts to inform,<br>
educate and include the public in our mission to pioneer the future<br>
in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research,"<br>
said Deborah Diaz, NASA's Deputy Chief Information Officer. "Citizen<br>
involvement in our work is a critical component of our success."</p>
<p>NASA Open Government launched the new site as part of its Open Source<br>
Software Flagship Initiative with the goal showcasing existing<br>
projects, providing a forum for discussion, and guiding internal and<br>
external groups in open development, release and contribution.<br></p>
<p>"We released the site on Jan. 4 and since have received an<br>
overwhelming response from people interested in using our code," said<br>
Nick Skytland, Program Manager of NASA's Open Government Initiative.<br>
"Our goal is to provide the public direct and ongoing access to NASA<br>
technology."</p>
<p>"We believe tomorrow's space and science systems will be built in the<br>
open, and that <a href="http://code.nasa.gov">code.nasa.gov</a> will play a big part in getting us<br>
there," said William Eshagh, NASA Open Government co-lead on the<br>
project at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.<br></p>
<p>To view the site, visit:<br><br><br></p>
<p><a href="http://code.nasa.gov">http://code.nasa.gov</a></p>
<p>For more information on Open Government, visit:<br><br></p>
<p><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/open">http://www.whitehouse.gov/open</a></p>
<p>For more information on NASA's Open Government Initiative, visit:<br><br></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/open">http://www.nasa.gov/open</a><br></p>
<p>-end-<br><br></p>
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<p>-- <br>
Ginny Mauldin-Kinney<br>
Geology Graduate Student - Planetary Geomorphology<br>
Dept. of Geosciences<br>
Georgia State University</p>
<p>NASA-JPL Solar System Ambassador - Georgia<br>
<a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador">http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador</a></p>
<p>Author, Geologic Site Bulletin<br>
Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park</p>
<p>Contributing Writer<br>
<a href="http://Tucker.Patch.com">Tucker.Patch.com</a></p>
<p>“What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for <br>
sure that just ain't so.” ~Mark Twain</p>
<p>“Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some <br>
passion, than fade and wither dismally with age." ~James Joyce<br><br><br><br><br><br><br></p>