Space.com reports that Scaled Composites is getting bought out by aerospace giant Northrop Grumman.

On one hand, it seems like big aerospace sees a future in the more nimble approaches and radical garage-based attempts to claim space for private industry.

On the other hand, one can easily point out that big aerospace has not been focused on nimble projects, but trying to find the most complex payouts and contracts.

Is this a chill over the nascent small private space access group? Or a chance for private space access to get access to larger research money and support?

update: Jeff Foust digs up more details about the relationship here.