NASA and Houston Technology Center have signed a Space Act Agreement.

The agreement, reached at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, extends a partnership between the two organizations. People from both groups collaborate to develop new technologies for use in space and among emerging commercial enterprises in the Houston area.

The organizations are expanding their work to help businesses develop grant proposals, license products, and contribute to research and development of products that NASA could use one day.

The agreement also continues the "Executive on Loan" program, which allows NASA to loan an executive to Houston Technology Center business segments. The nonprofit center helps companies hoping to commercialize NASA technologies and find commercial technologies for use in space. It receives support from more than 300 companies and organizations and holds claim to being the largest business incubator in Texas.

"We are looking forward to developing this partnership even further, expanding our resources, and connecting with even more businesses through HTC -- companies that ultimately could evolve into more NASA partners," said Michelle Brekke, director of the JSC Technology Transfer Office, in a prepared statement.