assessing the potential for commercial space tourism: an ecosystem study of australia
- Paper number
IAC-19,E6,1,7,x53711
- Author
Mr. Joshua Western, United Kingdom, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
- Year
2019
- Abstract
This paper seeks to assess Australia’s ability to capitalise on commercial space tourism from an industrial standpoint and as a marketplace. Since the broadcast of the televised feed of the first moon landing, Australia has been quietly building a space industry, closely followed by the launch of the British satellite in 1971, Prospero, from a range in Woomera. However, slowly, commercial space activities began to develop, global telecommunications and satellite television started beaming into homes across the world. The emergence of space as a commercial domain, alongside its advantages for military reconnaissance has seen multiple countries enter space both for economic growth and national prestige within geographical regions. After a promising start, growth in the Australian space industry had slowed until recently. In 2018, these opportunities ballooned and converged, leading to Australia formally creating the Australian Space Agency. Able to capitalise on its vast geography and low population density with facilities such as the Woomera Range Complex for launch and return, radio and optical astronomy and a prolific investment market, Australia is well poised to take a significant share of the global space sector market. The country also has an economic structure that could feasibly support commercial space tourism. Significantly, Australia was named in 2018 as the most attractive destination for millionaires in the world, and has become a hub for high net worth individuals. Combined with Australia’s highly skilled workforce and topography, it could be a viable location for commercial human launches.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)