The Commercial Space Station

By 2016, the International Space Station will face retirement. What then? When colonizing space, NASA blazes the trails, but private industry must build the roads. For common citizens to inhabit space, there must be a station in near Earth orbit, only 400 miles high, where dedicated commercial activities can take place. It will be a hub of commerce where industrial scientists can perform chemistry and biology, tourists can have lavish vacations, solar power stations can be built and serviced, and where satellites can be tested and deployed. This is now within the grasp of several businesses that are determined to see this vision through. The commercialization of low Earth orbit can free NASA, and the other space agencies around the world, to colonize the Moon and Mars. In fact, these agencies will be some of the first customers on an industrial facility in space. The commercial space station can be the crucible from which a new economy in forged, where better medicines, cleaner energy sources, stronger materials, and wider human experiences can be realized. These space stations are being deployed now. They will do practical, useful things in space for the common good of taxpayers. They will be new tools in the fight to solve medical and environmental problems to come. And they will provide jobs and tax revenue. The 21st century will be an industrial space century where average citizens can participate as entrepreneurs or customers.

A rich visual history of real and fictional space stations, illustrating pop culture's influence on the development of actual space stations and vice versa Space stations represent both the summit of space technology and, possibly, the future of humanity beyond Earth. Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space takes the reader deep into the heart of past, present, and future space stations, both real ones and those dreamed up in popular culture. This lavishly illustrated book explains the development of space stations from the earliest fictional visions through historical and current programs--including Skylab, Mir, and the International Space Station--and on to the dawning possibilities of large-scale space colonization. Engrossing narrative and striking images explore not only the spacecraft themselves but also how humans experience life aboard them, addressing everything from the development of efficient meal preparation methods to experiments in space-based botany. The book examines cutting-edge developments in government and commercial space stations, including NASA's Deep Space Habitats, the Russian Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station, and China's Tiangong program. Throughout, Space Stations also charts the fascinating depiction of space stations in popular culture, whether in the form of children's toys, comic-book spacecraft, settings in science-fiction novels, or the backdrop to TV series and Hollywood movies. Space Stations is a beautiful and captivating history of the idea and the reality of the space station from the nineteenth century to the present day.

A rich visual history of real and fictional space stations, illustrating pop culture's influence on the development of actual space stations and vice versa Space stations represent both the summit of space technology and, possibly, the future of humanity beyond Earth. Space Stations: The Art, Science, and Reality of Working in Space takes the reader deep into the heart of past, present, and future space stations, both real ones and those dreamed up in popular culture. This lavishly illustrated book explains the development of space stations from the earliest fictional visions through historical and current programs--including Skylab, Mir, and the International Space Station--and on to the dawning possibilities of large-scale space colonization. Engrossing narrative and striking images explore not only the spacecraft themselves but also how humans experience life aboard them, addressing everything from the development of efficient meal preparation methods to experiments in space-based botany. The book examines cutting-edge developments in government and commercial space stations, including NASA's Deep Space Habitats, the Russian Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station, and China's Tiangong program. Throughout, Space Stations also charts the fascinating depiction of space stations in popular culture, whether in the form of children's toys, comic-book spacecraft, settings in science-fiction novels, or the backdrop to TV series and Hollywood movies. Space Stations is a beautiful and captivating history of the idea and the reality of the space station from the nineteenth century to the present day.

This document includes long-term and short-term objectives for the development of the International Space Station, with strategies and policies for implementing the plan, plus organizational and management models.

Young addresses the impressive expansion across existing and developing commercial space business markets, with multiple private companies competing in the payload launch services sector. The author pinpoints the new markets, technologies, and players in the industry, as well as highlighting the overall reasons why it is important for us to develop space. NASA now relies on commercial partners to supply cargo and crew spacecraft and services to and from the International Space Station. The sizes of satellites are diminishing and their capabilities expanding, while costs to orbit are decreasing. Suborbital space tourism holds the potential of new industries and jobs. Commercial space exploration of the Moon and the planets also holds promise. All this activity is a catalyst for anyone interested in joining the developing space industry, from students and researchers to engineers and entrepreneurs. As more and more satellites and rockets are launched and the business of space is expanding at a significant pace, it is increasingly important for scientists and engineers of many disciplines to understand how the business evolved and where it is continuing to develop. The growing field is fully explored in this concise overview to the players in this changing landscape.

This book analyzes the commercial space activities and commercialization processes of the last fifteen years and maps the future challenges that NewSpace companies will face developing commercial space markets. What is new and what has happened in these markets up till now? Is there a business case for private companies for commercial space? What are the targeted commercial space markets? Who are the future customers for commercial space transportation markets? How can NewSpace companies attract investors? Can we learn lessons from traditional space industries or other companies in other areas? In what way have the last fifteen years made a difference in the evolution of space markets? Is there a future for in-situ resource mining, space debris services, in-orbit satellite servicing and sub-orbital transportation? What are the lessons learned from ISS commercialization? In addition the reader will find a synopsis of several space transportation programs, commercial space markets, future Moon and Mars missions, in-situ resource exploitation concepts, space debris mitigation projects and sub-orbital commercial markets. Major lessons learned are identified, related to the attraction of first time customers and long term R&D funding, managing technological and market risks and developing new markets and applications.