Developing the Microgravity Market for Commercial Space Transportation systems
- Paper number
IAC-09.D2.2.6
- Author
Mr. Dennis Stone, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Johnson Space Center, United States
- Year
2009
- Abstract
As a result of NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) initiative, regular cargo transportation to and from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) will soon be available on a commercial basis. Furthermore, the International Space Station (ISS) will soon be complete. These two milestones open an unprecedented opportunity for routine research using microgravity in LEO. Microgravity offers a unique window on biological and physical processes. Because microgravity has not been routinely available, its benefits are not well known by the broad research community in biotechnology, nanotechnology, combustion, materials, fluids, and other fields. Market development is thus needed. As a first step, a competition was conducted in 2009 which offered a free flight of a microgravity experiment on a COTS demonstration launch to LEO by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX). The competition also offered a $25,000 grant from the Heinlein Prize Trust. This competition was widely promoted and attracted a range of proposals. This paper defines the microgravity market development challenge facing the commercial space transportation industry, describes the results of the Microgravity Research Competition, and suggests additional steps which could be considered to increase the demand by this market for commercial space transportation. If that is successful, the results could include higher flight rates, lower costs, increased reliability, and greater impact of space on health care and applications to humanity.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)