A cost-engineered launch vehicle for space tourism

The paper starts with a set of major requirements for a space tourism vehicle and discusses major vehicle options proposed for this purpose. It seems that the requirements can be met best with a Ballistic SSTO Vehicle which has the additional advantage of lowest development cost compared to other launch vehicle options — important for a commercial development venture.

The BETA Ballistic Reusable Vehicle Concept is characterized by the plug nozzle cluster engine configuration where the plug nozzle serves also as base plate and re-entry heat shield. In this case no athmospheric turn maneuver is required (as in case-of the front-entry Delta-Clipper DC-Y concept). In our specific case for space tourism this mode has the avantage that the forces at launch and reentry are in exactly the same direction, easing passenger seating arrangements. The second basic advantage is the large available volume on top of the vehicle providing ample space for passenger accomodation, visibility and volume for zero-g experience (free floating), one of the major passenger mission requirements. An adequate passenger cabin design for 100 passengers is presented, as well as the modern BETA-STV Concept with its mass allocations.     

Pilots for space tourism

This article sheds light on the key player needed for any space tourism adventure: the pilot who flies the spacecraft. The paper addresses the potential benefits of including a pilot at the controls when designing a space tourism spacecraft. It examines the basic qualifications and advanced skills required of space tourism pilots and discusses key training requirements for selected pilots and space pilots' pay and benefits. In addition, the research concludes that, just as the pioneers of passenger transport in aviation entertained and captured the interest of their passengers, the space pilot should have the skills of a tour guide.     

A joint European strategy for space

This paper describes the background to the creation of the first coherent space strategy for Europe and explains why such a co-operative effort is necessary—in order to achieve strategic economic and security goals for the benefit of Europe's citizens. It discusses the three major objectives of the strategy and looks at the differing roles that will be played by ESA and the European Commission in its implementation, as well as at the developing relationship between the two bodies.     

Architectural design for space tourism

The paper describes the main issues for the design of an appropriately planned habitat for tourists in space.Due study and analysis of the environment of space stations (ISS, MIR, Skylab) delineate positive and negative aspects of architectonical design. Analysis of the features of architectonical design for touristic needs and verification of suitability with design for space habitat.Space tourism environment must offer a high degree of comfort and suggest correct behavior of the tourists. This is intended for the single person as well as for the group. Two main aspects of architectural planning will be needed: the design of the private sphere and the design of the public sphere.To define the appearance of environment there should be paid attention to some main elements like the materiality of surfaces used; the main shapes of areas and the degree of flexibility and adaptability of the environment to specific needs.     

A selective space strategy for small countries

This article analyses the patterns and trends of small countries' participation in various forms of international space cooperation. The background to formulating a national space programme is discussed, together with considerations in linking national needs, stage of development, resources and capacity with those of the international community. The need for a selective national strategy on space activities is demonstrated: efforts must be concentrated around a few reasonably selected goals, provisions for acquiring information must be maintained, and the space programme must prepare the country for rapid development in all other fields of space research and applications, if world trends require. A brief examination of Bulgaria's space activity is made. A series of advanced space investigations have been undertaken in that country, and space technology transfer and spin-offs have resulted, with valuable benefits for the society and the economy.     

A new cooperative strategy for space in the twenty-first century

The context within which the major government space programmes of the world are planned and obtain political approval has changed dramatically with the end of the Cold War. International economic competition has become a central issue in international affairs. Economic and political constraints require that space agencies adapt the ambitious plans they put forward in the 1980s to the realities of this decade and beyond. This paper argues that in this changed context, enhanced international space cooperation can make important contributions to advancing the core interests of nations and firms, and that in some situations, increased and more intimate cooperation may be the only way to achieve ambitious space goals. The paper contains a series of policy-oriented findings and recommendations that together comprise a ‘new cooperative strategy’ for space.     

An alternative strategy process for government space activities

This article is a revised and updated version of a paper presented at the 49th International Astronautical Congress, held in Melbourne, Australia from September 28 to October 2, 1998. It presents a methodical approach to the future planning of government space activities. Rather than generating detailed programme plans that are hard to implement in a dynamic environment, the method described herein is rather modelling the priorities of different project alternatives. This is less detailed as the plans that usually result from the classic space planning approach, yet is highly usable as a roadmap for implementation. This approach enables a dynamic planning with inherent learning cycles that can easily be adapted to the dynamic changes which are plaguing today’s space policies.     

The legal regime for private space tourism activities—An overview

“Space tourism” denotes any commercial activity that offers customers direct or indirect experience with space travel. Various models for space tourism activities exist including the use of an aircraft and/or spacecraft. The paper surveys some of the most important legal aspects relevant to space tourism activities, such as, the delimitation of airspace and outer space, the applicable legal regime and the definition of aircraft and space object, authorization, registration, liability, as well as the legal status of space tourists.     

The Brazilian space program: a selective strategy for space development and business

This report describes the Brazilian Space Organization, the country's general national needs in space and the missions in progress. During the last two decades significant investments were made in space systems development, infrastructure and human preparation. Therefore this effort must show clear benefits to justify its continuation. The way to achieve benefit is to define missions which strategically harmonize Brazil's technical indigenous capabilities and its needs.     

A space exploration strategy that promotes international and commercial participation

NASA has created a plan to implement the Flexible Path strategy, which utilizes a heavy lift launch vehicle to deliver crew and cargo to orbit. In this plan, NASA would develop much of the transportation architecture (launch vehicle, crew capsule, and in-space propulsion), leaving the other in-space elements open to commercial and international partnerships. This paper presents a space exploration strategy that reverses that philosophy, where commercial and international launch vehicles provide launch services. Utilizing a propellant depot to aggregate propellant on orbit, smaller launch vehicles are capable of delivering all of the mass necessary for space exploration. This strategy has benefits to the architecture in terms of cost, schedule, and reliability.     

Competitive pricing for multiple payload launch services: the road to commercial space

The commercial launch industry is maturing into an international market that is highly price competitive. A common way to deal with the high cost of launch services is to use a single booster to place several payloads into orbit. This practice requires the launch provider to divide the cost of the shared mission between the customers. Unfortunately, the methods normally used to do this are inadequate. This paper addresses the question of how best to share launch costs. It examines the existing methods and introduces two alternative methods for this purpose. The new methods are demonstrated and shown to be superior.     

An alternative strategy process for planning government space programs

This paper presents some thoughts and a methodical approach to the strategic planning of large government projects that takes into account the dynamic development of global problems. Given that an overarching strategic intent is in place and budgetary resources are limited, the methods described herein allow its user to generate and evaluate a set of project proposals according to their individual problem solving potential. In a final step, one is able to select those proposals that are preferable for further planning. Rather than generating detailed programs that are hard to implement in a dynamic environment, the method described herein is only modeling the priorities of different project alternatives. This is less detailed as the plans that result from a classic strategic planning approach, yet is highly usable as a roadmap for implementation. The most important advantage of this approach is its suitability for a dynamic planning with inherent learning cycles that can easily be adapted to dynamic changes in the planning environment. Since change is a well-known phenomenon in space program planning, a paradigm shift towards more flexible and adaptable ways of planning seems to be required.     

Exploration for the masses? Or joyrides for the ultra-rich? Prospects for space tourism

A space tourism industry appears to be about to take off. Businesses have announced plans to launch people into suborbital space for $200,000/person, with flights beginning as early as 2008. A brief review of the history of the idea of space tourism over the past four decades—and an awareness that many ventures have quietly shelved their grandiose plans—might aid thinking about the prospects for development of a safe and thriving space tourism industry. Today's space tourism model emphases the concept of luxury, and the lifestyle of hyper-consumption. It may be worth considering whether and how this conception of space tourism might affect the future of space exploration.     

The space life sciences strategy for the 21st century

In the past, space life sciences has focused on gaining an understanding of physiological tolerance to spaceflight, but, for the last 10 years, the focus has evolved to include issues relevant to extended duration missions. In the 21st century, NASA's long-term strategy for the exploration of the solar system will combine the assurance of human health and performance for long periods in space with investigations aimed at searching for traces of life on other planets and acquiring fundamental scientific knowledge of life processes. Implementation of this strategy will involve a variety of disciplines including radiation health, life support, human factors, space physiology and countermeasures, medical care, environmental health, and exobiology. It will use both ground-based and flight research opportunities such as those found in current on-going programs, on Spacelab and unmanned biosatellite flights, and during Space Station Freedom missions.     

When inspiration fails to inspire: A change of strategy for the US space program

A pressing issue facing the US space program is the projected shortfall in the skilled aerospace workforce, as the number of students in space-related fields wanes. This has prompted many to emphasize the rhetoric of inspiration that prevailed during the Cold War, at the expense of concrete arguments for space that are thought to be lackluster and insufficient. This essay argues that the logic of inspiration fails to consider the changed context and attitudes of this younger public. Instead, such an approach proves counterproductive in attracting generations compelled by a host of ideas, some incompatible with the rhetoric of competition and prestige that prevailed before. Arguments that draw attention to the pragmatic elements of space, and that successfully align space with the notions that make sense now, may in turn prove to be the solution to draw the best and the brightest to the space program.     

From initial ideas to a European plan: GMES as an exemplar of European space strategy

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) is an idea which originated during a meeting in Baveno, Italy, in May 1998, which generated a call for Europe to get its act together in the field of environmental monitoring from space, to define a well articulated strategy in this area and to build upon its excellent scientific research community, its proven technical prowess in Earth observation from space and its nascent political will to express its objectives in international fora related to climate change and other global environment topics. While Europe was already active in the most advanced areas of global monitoring, its rather uncoordinated efforts (even within the European Commission) lacked visibility and did not appear to fit into a clearly established strategy. The ‘Baveno initiative’ was an attempt to remedy this situation and find a place within a developing ‘European Strategy for Space’, which requires ESA and the European Union to work more closely together. GMES was extended to include the ‘security’ (in its wider sense) aspects of global monitoring, a move that produced a number of questions and misunderstandings, but which allowed many in Europe to realize that monitoring the activities of the Earth’ land masses, oceans and atmosphere do include a security dimension. GMES will eventually incorporate an implementation plan which will call upon various monitoring techniques, ambitious modelling projects and connections with society's more urgent requirements with respect to environmental protection and prevention or reduction of risks related to natural hazards. This will entail significant efforts to inform the user communities and to convince them of the relevance and usefulness of this initiative. It will also provide a sound basis for the European contribution to the new initiative for improved coordination of strategies and systems for Earth observations called for by the July 2003 Earth Observation Summit.     

A proposed strategy against cost overruns in the space sector: The 5C approach

The space sector has frequently been confronted with cost overruns, with a negative impact on its management reputation. There are many reasons for this effect, the main one being that space development contracts are unique and often do not allow proper cost benchmarking. On the other hand, tools have been developed to minimise this effect and it is important to train future space managers in applying such tools. In the International Space University, such methods are illustrated with workshops, which aim to be as close as possible to reality. This article will describe the different techniques, memo-technically called the 5C approach here, and develop the use of a computerised tool, PRICE, to support these techniques in the different phases of the projects.     

A model for multinational space cooperation

It is becoming increasingly clear that space activities can benefit from international cooperation, but concerns about national interests remain. This article examines the experience of the Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG), which achieved striking success in coordinating the efforts of the USA, the USSR, the European Space Agency and Japan to study Halley's Comet. Subsequently the IACG has undertaken a new project, focused on solar-terrestrial science, and further expansion could follow. However, tje group's success has depended on scrupulous respect for members' national autonomy, and so it is unlikely to herald the formation of a supranational space agency in the near future.     

A new space vision for NASA—And for space entrepreneurs too?

Despite its scientific successes, NASA has over the past two decades lost its way, spending billions of dollars on transportation systems that have at bottom been failures. President Obama's cancellation of the costly and unwieldy Constellation program provides an opportunity for genuine reform of the agency and the US space program, through harnessing the innovatory and cost-effective power of commercial entrepreneurs. Examples of the kinds of project they might undertake – including solar power satellites, ‘space taxis’ and a space elevator – are discussed.