Policy Model for Space Economy Infrastructure
- Paper number
IAC-05-D3.1.08
- Author
Prof. Narayanan Komerath, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. James Nally, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Coauthor
Ms. Elizabeth Tang, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Human exploration and development of Space is lagging because of the lack of infrastructure in space, essential to slash launch costs and accelerate commercial investment. This paper explores the need and opportunity for global cooperation to break out of the current stagnation. Four current conflicting interests are: High Frontier militarization, government exploration programs, private investment and the threat of terrorism. The path to a thriving space economy, starting from today’s national projects, is explored quantitatively. Relevant space law and treaty analogies are used to develop examples and proposals of collaborative architectures. Security policy can catalyze a common protocol for long-term economic collaboration. Thinking towards such an architecture is initiated here, but it is clearly a long-term global endeavor in scope. In previous work we studied the conceptual problems of building the 1970s O’Neill Habitat and the Cylindrical City from NASA/ASEE workshops. In an NIAC Phase 1 project, we showed the technological architecture to build these. We also showed the basic approach for the cost architecture to do such projects at a low public-funding level by planning the commercial participation up front. Now we take this work to detailed quantification, in the context of policy realities. Purpose We try to conceptualize and analyze a model for a future Space-based economy, and lay out the path to get there while respecting various conflicting interests. Methodology 1. A sample case with 50 different project entities is laid out, as nucleus of a space-based economy. Increasing mutual interaction is considered to model the growth path. Examples from space solar power and a lunar-resource economy are quantified to show how availability of multiple suppliers and markets reduces risks and cost. 2. Our model for a new security regime considers issues that hinder cooperation. Results 1. A 50-entity model is presented as a case study and focus. This shows how overall project costs and risks come down when multiple enterprises participate. 2. A model to replace today’s fragmented regulations with a common security/ economics regime is presented. Conclusions 1. Global cooperation is key to building the infrastructure for a space economy. 2. As the number of participating, collaborating entities goes up, the overall project cost, and specifically the public funding needed, are shown to go down. 3. Models exist for dealing with the security and economic barriers between participants.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-D3.1.08.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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