DSER Comments on US Space Policy
On Monday, the Administration released the National Space Policy for the United States, defining the broad guidelines for the future role of the nation’s space program. This policy incidentally highlights the rationale behind a strategic proposal promoted by DSER, a private strategy group; addressing a missing strategic capability to address on-orbit emergencies that affects sustainability within manned orbital space flight.
Bowling Green, KY, July 02, 2010 --(PR.com)-- On Monday, the Administration released the National Space Policy for the United States, defining the broad guidelines for the future role of the nation’s space program. Within this document, an ambitious global perspective takes shape, stressing that the “sustainability, stability, and free access to, and use of, space” is vital, not only to the United States, but to participants on an international stage.
This policy incidentally highlights the rationale behind a strategic proposal promoted by DSER, a private strategy group; addressing a missing strategic capability to address on-orbit emergencies that affects sustainability within manned orbital space flight. “We welcome this direction,” said Dr. Gordon Smith, co-author of the DSER Strategy. “It clearly places a priority on the safety and sustainability of private commercial sectors in space. Now is the time to explore how best to implement this.”
US Space Policy and Commercialization
With the release of the current US Space Policy, the importance of a vigorous commercial space sector within the space industry is reaffirmed as a key principle by “encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship.”
This position is not a new one. The last twenty years of contributing reports for national space policies have stressed an ever-growing importance of independent commercialization. The economic strength of the satellite industry is a direct result of such commercialization, resulting in annual global revenue in excess of $100B. The commercial suborbital market is beginning to grow, attracting great interest and attention. The remaining manned orbital space flight market, however, remains solely a government-subsidized affair; though one of great debate.
The present US Space Policy further defines specific goals for US space operations, including strengthening “stability in space through: domestic and international measures to promote safe and responsible operations in space.” Additionally, the policy seeks to “increase assurance and resilience of mission-essential functions enabled by commercial, civil, scientific, and national security spacecraft and supporting infrastructure against disruption, degradation, and destruction, whether from environmental, mechanical, electronic, or hostile causes.”
“These goals highlight the importance of private commercialization within the space industry, manned and unmanned,” said Alan Thompson, coauthor of the DSER strategy. “Furthermore, the renewed focus on safety and stability raises questions that our strategy answers.”
US Space Policy and the DSER Strategy
Described in detail in the report “Space Policy via Macro-Economic Analysis,” the DSER strategy group suggests that safety and reliability are key controllable costs within the manned orbital space flight industry that have widespread effects. Furthermore, they propose that these costs can be broadly mitigated through the creation of a national capacity addressing on-orbit emergencies.
As explained by the group, such a capacity offers confidence to emerging private commercial ventures within manned orbital space flight by providing a means to support emergency situations that may occur, such as mechanical failure. Furthermore, this capacity satisfies the natural relationship between government and industry; through regulation, research and development, and protection of assets.
“The DSER strategy fulfills many of the directives laid out by the US Space Policy,” said Mr. Thompson. “Creating an agency for orbital situations similar to the Coast Guard allows the United States an unprecedented opportunity to apply space situational awareness capabilities for the benefit of a growing private commercial sector.”
“The interplay of the guidelines surrounding the civil, commercial, and defense sectors represents an incredible opportunity for bringing the DSER Strategy into reality,” added Dr. Smith. “If we harness the innovations of NASA and the private sector with the discipline of a military structure, we gain a humanitarian government program that encourages private commercialization, maintains government access to LEO, and expands our role as a global leader in space matters.”
Furthermore, the group asserts the impact of such a program reaches far beyond manned orbital space flight. Introducing a capacity to handle on-orbit emergencies involves technologies and techniques to intercept orbiting assets, including satellites; opening the opportunity for repairing satellites.
“With the opportunity to repair satellites on-orbit,” said Dr. Smith, “there is an opportunity to reduce the number of required redundant systems, as well as their associated weight and costs. Additionally, there is a potential reduction in the insurance costs if you don’t have to write the asset off automatically if something goes wrong.”
Copies of “Space Policy via Macroeconomic Analysis” and other related work are available for download from the DSER web site at http://dserweb.echoechoplus.com/.
About DSER
DSER is a private group dedicated to promoting a sustainable manned space flight industry by providing decision-makers with an independent view and analysis on relevant mid- to long term strategic issues. DSER consults with academics, policy makers, economists and other advocates in the space and international affairs communities to discuss and refine the concepts of their strategy.
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This policy incidentally highlights the rationale behind a strategic proposal promoted by DSER, a private strategy group; addressing a missing strategic capability to address on-orbit emergencies that affects sustainability within manned orbital space flight. “We welcome this direction,” said Dr. Gordon Smith, co-author of the DSER Strategy. “It clearly places a priority on the safety and sustainability of private commercial sectors in space. Now is the time to explore how best to implement this.”
US Space Policy and Commercialization
With the release of the current US Space Policy, the importance of a vigorous commercial space sector within the space industry is reaffirmed as a key principle by “encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship.”
This position is not a new one. The last twenty years of contributing reports for national space policies have stressed an ever-growing importance of independent commercialization. The economic strength of the satellite industry is a direct result of such commercialization, resulting in annual global revenue in excess of $100B. The commercial suborbital market is beginning to grow, attracting great interest and attention. The remaining manned orbital space flight market, however, remains solely a government-subsidized affair; though one of great debate.
The present US Space Policy further defines specific goals for US space operations, including strengthening “stability in space through: domestic and international measures to promote safe and responsible operations in space.” Additionally, the policy seeks to “increase assurance and resilience of mission-essential functions enabled by commercial, civil, scientific, and national security spacecraft and supporting infrastructure against disruption, degradation, and destruction, whether from environmental, mechanical, electronic, or hostile causes.”
“These goals highlight the importance of private commercialization within the space industry, manned and unmanned,” said Alan Thompson, coauthor of the DSER strategy. “Furthermore, the renewed focus on safety and stability raises questions that our strategy answers.”
US Space Policy and the DSER Strategy
Described in detail in the report “Space Policy via Macro-Economic Analysis,” the DSER strategy group suggests that safety and reliability are key controllable costs within the manned orbital space flight industry that have widespread effects. Furthermore, they propose that these costs can be broadly mitigated through the creation of a national capacity addressing on-orbit emergencies.
As explained by the group, such a capacity offers confidence to emerging private commercial ventures within manned orbital space flight by providing a means to support emergency situations that may occur, such as mechanical failure. Furthermore, this capacity satisfies the natural relationship between government and industry; through regulation, research and development, and protection of assets.
“The DSER strategy fulfills many of the directives laid out by the US Space Policy,” said Mr. Thompson. “Creating an agency for orbital situations similar to the Coast Guard allows the United States an unprecedented opportunity to apply space situational awareness capabilities for the benefit of a growing private commercial sector.”
“The interplay of the guidelines surrounding the civil, commercial, and defense sectors represents an incredible opportunity for bringing the DSER Strategy into reality,” added Dr. Smith. “If we harness the innovations of NASA and the private sector with the discipline of a military structure, we gain a humanitarian government program that encourages private commercialization, maintains government access to LEO, and expands our role as a global leader in space matters.”
Furthermore, the group asserts the impact of such a program reaches far beyond manned orbital space flight. Introducing a capacity to handle on-orbit emergencies involves technologies and techniques to intercept orbiting assets, including satellites; opening the opportunity for repairing satellites.
“With the opportunity to repair satellites on-orbit,” said Dr. Smith, “there is an opportunity to reduce the number of required redundant systems, as well as their associated weight and costs. Additionally, there is a potential reduction in the insurance costs if you don’t have to write the asset off automatically if something goes wrong.”
Copies of “Space Policy via Macroeconomic Analysis” and other related work are available for download from the DSER web site at http://dserweb.echoechoplus.com/.
About DSER
DSER is a private group dedicated to promoting a sustainable manned space flight industry by providing decision-makers with an independent view and analysis on relevant mid- to long term strategic issues. DSER consults with academics, policy makers, economists and other advocates in the space and international affairs communities to discuss and refine the concepts of their strategy.
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Contact
DSER
Gordon Smith, Ph.D.
270-791-2971
dserweb.echoechoplus.com
Gordon Smith, Ph.D.
270-791-2971
dserweb.echoechoplus.com
Contact
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