Methods for governments to boost space activities today: indicators and valuation

Paper number

IAC-10.E6.1.1

Author

Mr. Jorge Fuentes, A_Ventures, Spain

Coauthor

Mr. Jan Walter Schroeder, Astrinova & Bournemouth University, Germany

Year

2010

Abstract

It is since the beginning of the space age that space activities have been mostly driven and supported by the public administrations. It was the satellite communications the first of the space segments which was progressively transferred some decades ago to the private sector with great success and excellent results in the majority of cases. Over the last decades the number of different space activities that have been progressively taking on by the private sector have been increasing based on the prospects of profitable businesses. Besides this fact, national and regional governments have found an attractive economic activity in the aerospace sector due to its high added-value products, the highly-qualified labour and high productivity, and the capacity of its companies and institutions to intensively generate knowledge and technology transfer to other sectors. This paper presents how governments can encourage and support the increase of aerospace activities by already existing companies as well as by new space-related ventures in their nations and regions. 

Different methods to foster aerospace activities are presented and a classification based on the nature of these possible methods is proposed. A list of valuable indicators for measuring governments’ satisfaction, e.g. employment generated, is also presented and a configurable system for weighting these indicators in order to obtain a global indicator measuring the satisfaction of a specific government based on its priorities is proposed.

A valuation of the different methods using the indicators previously found is performed and opened to discussion, exposing the benefits and disadvantages of the different methods. In addition, a test case is used to generate results and the limitations of the system which determines the most suitable methods for a government to boost aerospace activities in its nation or region are critically reviewed.

Abstract document

IAC-10.E6.1.1.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-10.E6.1.1.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.