Lessons Learned from Historical Exploration: The Significance of the Emerging Space Economy for the Development of Sustainable Space Exploration

Paper number

IAC-08.E6.3.8

Author

Mr. Marc J. Haese, DLR German Aerospace Center, Germany

Year

2008

Abstract

Today’s international space exploration plans towards Moon and Mars are very ambitious, but also very promising once their implementation can be sustained over the long-term. It is likely that today’s space budgets will only see modest increases in the foreseeable future and therefore the development of public space exploration programmes will progress rather slowly. On the other side, a new era of private involvement in space activities has begun like in space tourism, commercial space transportation and private in-space services. It can be expected, that commercial activities will play an increasing role in future space exploration.

Over the past centuries commercial aspects have often played a significant role in terrestrial exploration endeavours. An analysis of the underlying principles provides valuable lessons that can be learned for the approach to future space exploration. As the basis for this paper, various missions of historic explorers between the 12th and the 20th century have been analysed with regard to the relevance of commercial aspects for the sustainability of their endeavours over the long-term. It can be concluded that in comparison with science-driven missions, politically motivated missions and missions for competitiveness and prestige, the undertakings which included a strong role for the exploitation of new markets and the expansion of a nation’s economy were most successful in securing a long-term and sustainable development. In many cases, public and private efforts went in parallel and often hand-in-hand. 

By comparison of today’s global space exploration activities with historic exploration efforts it can be concluded that space should be recognised as a new commercial market and potentially even as strong driving force in long-term space exploration. The business models then and now are different, but the new space economy may comprise several models of commercial involvement. Future space business activities may include space tourism, space services provided to public space programmes, but also media activities and entertainment, the industrial in-situ utilisation of planetary resources, and more. An outline of the potentially wide range of future commercial activities is given as well as possible new models of future collaboration between public and private players.

Abstract document

IAC-08.E6.3.8.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.E6.3.8.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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