The Space Factor: Fundamental/Applied Research Benefiting Europe's Economy

By M. Heppener, ESA Directorate of Manned Spaceflight & Microgravity, Posted 02/03/09

Link: http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet111/chapter16_bul111.pdf

“Although ‘made in space’ products are not expected to appear in the near-future, space is gaining interest as an area for industrial or applied R&D. ESA is supporting a growing number of projects involving non-space industries and other third parties. This article gives an overview of the potential of research in space to develop valuable applications on Earth.”