Some people think "slaving over a hot stove" is an awful chore. But, glass artist Ed Kozlowski, Jr., thinks differently. In fact, he needed a hotter stove in order to sculpt his various glass paperweights, ornaments and vases. But, rather than call a local repair shop, or purchase a new furnace, Kozlowski called upon a unique source for technical assistance - NASA and the space program.

"I was having trouble keeping heat in my furnace," said Kozlowski, owner of Budda Belly Glass Studio located in Pinellas Park. "That can be an expensive problem. The colder the furnace, the more I have to rely on the electric company to finish my various jobs."

Kozlowski, who has been in the glass business for 14 years, has always had an admiration for NASA and their knowledge of heat technology. "I always knew that NASA went to great lengths to layer the space shuttle with protection heat tiles," he said. "If it is good enough for NASA, then that technology would be good enough for me." The challenge, however, came in obtaining that information.

One day, while talking to a friend who was a former NASA employee, Kozlowski asked him, "What do you think my chances are of getting some of the scratch sheets of heat tiles from the shuttle to use for my furnace?" This friend gave him an answered prayer, and told him about the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP). The SATOP, sponsored by the Technological Research and Development Authority (TRDA), is a program designed to speed the transfer of technology into small businesses in Florida by partnering them with space industry employees for free technological assistance. Since its inception in 1995, the SATOP has had numerous success stories.

After a brief fact-finding mission, Kozlowski received the phone number for the SATOP. After an initial phone call, he later e-mailed an official Request for Technical Assistance (RTA) to the program for help. The SATOP took Kozlowski's request to The Thurston Company for advice and technical support. Within two months, they found a positive resolution for Kozlowski and his company.

"Budda Belly Glass Studio is the perfect example of a small business that is benefiting first-hand from this program and space technology," said Bob Allen, deputy director of the TRDA. "Here is a man who sells his glass sculptures at Disney World and museums across the country, and who turns to our program for guidance. That is a great feeling."

Kozlowski received his plan on how to insulate his furnace and is saving nearly $200 a month in electric bills. "This is a big savings for me. As a small business, such high electrical bills could have made me go nuts," he said. Having had such a positive experience with this program, Kozlowski plans to sit down in a few months and seek the SATOP's help on a new electrical design project. "If I can build Item A for less than purchasing it in the store, and learn something in the process, then I'll do that," he said.

Kozlowski recommends the SATOP to any small business needing technical assistance. "These guys are great. They care about helping us small guys succeed," he said. "They are full of knowledge and resources, and if they don't know an answer to a problem, they will find out for you."

For more information on the SATOP or to submit an RTA, call the TRDA at (321) 269-6330. For more information on Budda Belly Glass Studio, call Ed Kozlowski at 727-541-4347.