Policy: Presentations
Near-term, low-risk, low-cost ISS Cargo Delivery Services on U.S. Vehicles | CSI
This presentation documents the Constellation Services International (CSI) development of a flexible and optimal modular cargo transport system that uses U.S. vehicles for launch and Russian vehicles for on-orbit transfer to the ISS (the challenging "last mile"). They submitted their plan to the NASA COTS competition and received high evaluation ratings except that they scored low on "new U.S. technology development", a key political rating factor. Miller argues that current ISS space operations are currently supported by a mixture of U.S. and Russian technology based on business decisions to drive near-term, low-risk and lost-cost solutions. The CSI system is designed to allow flexible use of the best launcher and last-mile transport options. This apparent conflict of good business practices and political considerations related to "buying American" is well-known these days. However, if U.S. space commerce is going to be reliable, affordable and profitable, a reevaluation of this position by NASA should be considered especially while the private sector works hard to become viable.
Promoting Space Commerce Market Growth
Morris gave this presentation at the 2007 “Reach to Space” Conference. His two main points associated with government’s role in promoting space commerce were:
• Government Should Foster Economic Environment for Commercial Market Growth • Government Needs to Continue Active Partnership with Industry
International Cooperation for Small Satellite Development
An overview of global small satellite development from the CANEUS perspective. “CANEUS is a worldwide non-profit organization serving the needs of the aeronautics, space and defense communities by fostering coordinated, international technology development and commercialization. To achieve its goal, CANEUS brings together technology developers, aerospace end-users, governmental policy makers and investors from across the world.”
Impact of Space on Society
“A presentation to the international Congress on Space Research on its 50th Anniversary. “During the last fifty years, space has had a profound impact on our societies. It has facilitated the globally interdependent world in which we live. It has altered our sense of our place in the universe. It has created technically competent workforces, stimulated our economies, enhanced our lives, vastly increased our knowledge of Earth, our solar system and the universe beyond. It is my fervent hope that in the years ahead we will be called upon to do so much more. We can make it a much better world for all of our societies, if only we are set loose and supported to do so.” Fisk provides the top-level benefits story that needs to accompany the economic opportunities of entrepreneurial space for broad public understanding and support of this new enterprise.
Obama-Biden Space Policy Analysis
This presentation developed by the Strategic Space Development company covers the “Obama Administration’s Impact on Space Policy” beginning with the campaign and extending just after the election on 5 Nov ’08 when it was written. It covers civil, military and commercial space and focuses on the proposed increasing integration of these sectors and cross-government collaboration. Commercial space comes out looking strong in this analysis.
Paths to Space Settlement: Space Tourism, Space Solar Power, Planetary Defense
Globus presented this at the Aerospace Technology Working Group that met at NASA ARC, Dec. ’08. Among many other things, he is a master of the short pithy statement. One that he made recently (below) in an email provides insight into the role that the Russian and US space agencies played in catalyzing space tourism.
“The International Space Station’s (ISS) most important legacy may be jump-starting space tourism. Consider: the first space tourist, Dennis Tito, was supposed to go to the Soviet era Mir space station. Under pressure from NASA, Russia de-orbited the Mir which resulted in Mr. Tito going to the ISS instead. Now the Mir was a terrific space station, but by the time of Tito’s trip it was also old, smelly, crowded and probably not all that nice. The ISS was brand new, shiny, much more roomy, etc. Mr. Tito came back to Earth with glowing accounts of how great space is. Would his experience have been as good on Mir?”
Space Tourism: Risks And Rewards
A good recent overview of the status of and key issues for the space tourism market.