SPACE RACE: Commercialising the Path

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

SPACE RACE: Commercialising the Path SPACE RACE: Commercialising the Path Point-of-View July 2021 Contents From race of superpowers Roads to success to race of billionaires in exploring space What is shaping the space Who are in the space exploration industry of today? race of today? Future of in-space economy Introduction to What benefits will a space journey space exploration bring Executive summary for the economy? 2 Introduction to a space journey Journey into space started 50 years ago with nations’ race making first steps using moderate technology at hand… Key elements of space journey 50 years ago Nations’ Space race Single use rockets & costly shuttles First milestones achieved: 1st man in space Industry drivers: 1st step on the Moon ideology & national pride 1st space station 3 Source: BDO Centers analysis Introduction to a space journey …and continues with visionary leaders driving space into the era of affordable travel and game-changing projects Key elements of space journey now Billionaires’ Space race Ambitious projects Reusable, cheap, are about to come true: and big rockets moon base, people on Mars & beyond, space tourism Industry drivers: commercialisation & business leaders’ aspiration 4 Source: BDO Centers analysis Introduction to a space journey Active exploration and rapid growth of the global space industry enable multilateral perspectives in the future Key space players Prospective in-space industries Elon Musk Jeff Bezos Enable the Build the low-cost road to colonisation of Mars space to enable near-Earth Space Space logistics Space hospitality Space Space colonisation mining & Orbital & Travel manufacturing farming & Construction Richard Branson transportation Build the Spaceline for 2020 Earth to make space travel 2040 available for everyone 315 1,053 Bn USD Upcoming missions Predictions of future development Bn USD Governmental agencies Private companies SpaceX Artemis 85 MOON Rocket Lab Asteroid International Artemis Base Greenhousing Sustainability countries settlements Moon village Camp in space in space operating in space ESA in 2021 SpaceX MARS Roscosmos 5 Source: BDO Centers analysis FROM RACE OF SUPERPOWERS TO RACE OF BILLIONAIRES Space exploration started more than 50 years ago from small steps in satellites assembly… 50 years ahead and the world observes a tremendous boost in space technologies and missions… Future of space exploration has become close to humanity like never before From race of superpowers to race of billionaires In just 50 years of exploration, there was a tremendous boost in the space industry, starting from the Moon mission 1977 1st probe to study the 1957 1976 outer solar system 1st artificial satellite & Successful 1997 1st animal sent to orbit landing on Mars 1st operational rover on Mars 1981 1961 1st launch of a Yuri Gagarin: reusable space shuttle 1st human in space 1975 1998 1st multinational International Space crewed mission1 & Station established 1st probe on Venus 1969 Neil Armstrong: 1st human on the Moon 1982 1995 1st Venus soil 1st probe sample & sound on Jupiter 1970 1971 1st rover landed 1st space on the Moon station 1990 launched Hubble Space Telescope launched Nations’ competition Nations’ cooperation Source: Space — The Timeline: 50 Years of Spaceflight — [2012]; John M. Logsdon, Britannica — Space exploration — [2021] 7 Notes: (1) Included members from the USSR and the USA From race of superpowers to race of billionaires A New Space Age is boosted by big private companies entering the space, indicating commercialisation of industry 2014 2015 1st propulsive landing 1st soft landing of an orbital rocket 2001 on a comet Dennis Tito: 2012 1st propulsive landing st 1st space tourist 1 privately owned company of a suborbital rocket to carry cargo to ISS1 2020 1st orbital human 1st human-made probe spacecraft launched by a private company reached interstellar space China’s 1st manned 2003 earth orbiter 2018 1st operating rover Space Columbia broke on an asteroid apart at landing 1st privately developed rockets launched from a private spaceport 2021 2004 2008 NASA picked SpaceX to land Discovery of lunar Americans on the Moon 1st human spaceflight water (ice) launched by a private company & 1st private 2019 astronaut 1st soft landing in the far 1st successful launch of a site of the Moon & 1st privately developed rocket germination of seed on another celestial body First private companies Abundance of private companies Source: Space — The Timeline: 50 Years of Spaceflight — [2012]; John M. Logsdon, Britannica — Space exploration — [2021] 8 Notes: (1) International Space Station From race of superpowers to race of billionaires In XXI century, the cooperation of countries & companies is the most effective approach to conduct space exploration Artemis Moon programme is nowadays the biggest space Humanity, governments, and big enterprises exploration programme with the broad cooperation of countries have common goals in space & companies, both in public and private sector1 Increase capabilities and decrease costs for future NASA Orion spacecraft human and robotic space missions Sending first woman and next Space Launch System cooperation Companies Space-based research and observation of Earth to man on the Moon improve life on Earth and deal with environmental in 2024 problems International Exploration Ground Extend human knowledge of space, understanding space agencies of Earth, solar system, and the universe that may System support life Establishment of sustainable Human Landing System Explore and expand human presence beyond Earth and robust presence on and after that beyond the solar system cooperation agencies Space the Moon CAPSTONE launch Stimulate economic growth by the development of space-to-earth and space-to-space economy Source: NASA — Exploration Mission Integral to 2020 National Space Policy — [January 2021]; NASA website 9 Notes: (1) Selected companies are shown on the scheme From race of superpowers to race of billionaires The global space economy is projected to reach 1 Tn USD by 2040 with the commercial sector driving the market Global space economy, Bn USD 1,053 Governmental investment on space exploration +1% during 2019-2029, % of total 258 Bn USD 385 383 Governmental 21% sector 6% 47% 6% Transportation Orbital infrastructure 8% Commercial 79% Astronomy, astrophysics sector & heliophysics Moon exploration 13% 1 2 2019 2020 2040 Deep space exploration — leading space agency Mars exploration 85 countries NASA 466 spacecraft deployed 20% operating in space3 Budget 2021: 23.3 Bn USD 54% — by private companies4 Source: Space Foundation — The Space report — [Q2 2020]; Euroconsult — The Space economy report — [2020]; Statista website 10 Notes: (1) Based on the research of Euroconsult; (2) Based on the forecast of Morgan Stanley and Bank of America; (3) As of 2021; (4) In 2019 From race of superpowers to race of billionaires The satellite segment makes up 79% of the space economy with the USA as a leader in satellites quantity and launches Global space economy by segments in 2020 3,372 satellites are active in 20211,2 385 Bn USD 56.3% 12.2% 5.2% 79% Satellite uses by operational purposes in 2021 54.3% Navigation / Communications 26.9% Positioning 10.4% 4.4% 3.1% 0.9% Space science / Earth observation Observation Satellite industry Technology development / Earth science & Non-satellite industry demonstration Other purposes Source: Space Foundation — The Space report — [Q2 2020]; Union of Concerned Scientists website; Statista website Notes: (1) As of May 2021, the private company SpaceX owns 1,500 satellites; (2) Top-3 countries by active satellites 11 with a total share of 73.7% From race of superpowers to race of billionaires Exploration of space is focused on finding new ways to unlock the mysteries of the solar system and beyond 2018 2026-2034 Parker Solar Probe TITAN Dragonfly (NASA) (NASA) 2023-2025 2028-2030 Europe Clipper (NASA) NEPTUNE DAVINCHI+, VERITAS (NASA) 2021-2024 EUROPE Artemis (NASA) SATURN 1997-2017 VENUS 2024 Cassini DearMoon (SpaceX) (NASA, ESA, ASI3) MOON JUPITER 1989 MERCURY Voyager 2 (NASA) EARTH 2022 4 JUICE (NASA) URANU S MARS 2023-2025 2025 Europa Clipper 2018 BepiColombo (NASA) Voyager 2 (ESA1, JAXA2) (NASA) 1986 Voyager 2 (NASA) 2026-2028 Mars Sample Return (NASA) 2026 2012 Crewed mission (SpaceX) Voyager 1 (NASA) Source: NASA website; SpaceX website Notes: (1) European Space Agency; (2) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; (3) Italian Space Agency; (4) A number of 12 dedicated exploratory missions to Uranus have been proposed, yet none have been approved as of 2021 From race of superpowers to race of billionaires Moon exploration started with the US mission in 1969, yet nowadays more private companies enter the Moon race Nations landed on the Moon1 Major upcoming moon missions of private enterprises 2024 Space X 30 2 DearMoon 64 2023 Firefly Aerospace Blue Origin Blue Ghost Blue Moon 23 1 suссessful2 Moon missions Masten Space Systems / Draper Lab 2022 XL-1 / Artemis-7 7 1 PTScientists Rocket Lab 2021 Alina Photon Distance travel by Moon rovers, kilometres3,4 NASA budget on the Moon missions Lunokhod 2 38.9 Key reasons to explore the Moon Apollo 17 35.7 25.8 Bn USD 28.0 Bn USD or 257 Bn USD5 Apollo 15 27.8 Water and oxygen Precious metals, Helium-3 to create to produce rocket rocks, and rare fuel suitable for fuel and establish earths to create fusion energy Apollo 16 27.0 a human base building & raw generation materials Lunokhod 1 10.4 Project Apollo Artemis programme 1960-1973 2021F-2025F Source: NASA — NASA’s Lunar Exploration Program Overview —
Recommended publications
  • REASONS to MIND ASTEROIDS with the Rapid Progress Made In
    ASTEROID MINING & ITS LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Neil Modi & Devanshu Ganatra Presentation ID- IAC- 16.E7.IP.23.x32357 REASONS TO MINE ASTEROIDS With the rapid progress made in technology, humans are taking huge steps in space today. There is huge potential in space, and particularly in asteroid mining. ENERGY CRISIS RARE EARTH METALS • Non-renewable fossil fuels like coal, oil currently account for 81% of • Many of the metals widely used in almost all industrial products the world’s primary energy. were always limited and are now in SHORT SUPPLY leading to skyrocketing manufacturing costs. • EARLIER, renewable energy could not compete with non-renewable sources because it relied on metals in short supply. Resources found • These include Platinum Group Metals (PMGS) and others like on asteroids would solve this problem completely. gold, cobalt, iron, molybdenum etc. Image Credit-The U.S. Energy Image Credit- FuelSpace.org- ‘How Asteroids Can Information Administration Save Mankind’ PROJECTED SCARCITY OF RESOURCES ON EARTH Image Credit-Shackleton Energy Company Image Credit- Chris Clugston’s ‘An Oil Drum- An Analysis’ (2010) THE NEED FOR WATER 1. SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ASTRONAUTS- Since the main constituents of water HYDRATION AND OXYGEN are hydrogen and oxygen, it is a source of oxygen for life support. TO ASTRONAUTS 2. PROTECTION FROM RADIATION- Water absorbs and blocks infrared radiation, which means that by storing heat it helps to maintain temperature. 3. ROCKET FUEL- Rocket propellant is hydrogen and oxygen based, with a large percentage of the weight of a spacecraft taken up by fuel. 4. SPACE EXPLORATION- A GAS STATION IN SPACE KEY TO SPACE BLOCKS EXPLORATION WATER RADIATION Today billions of dollars are spent in rocket fuel to sustain space explorations.
    [Show full text]
  • 18.8 MB Léto 2021
    Magazín2021 • Léto • Summer Leo Express CZ Inspirace Bez pokroku EN se nikam Inspiration neposuneme Progress Téma Incites Vesmírné Development nebude Topic nesmírné Our Place in Space Bezpečná tiskovina Safe Printout 001L_TITULKA_4.indd 1 23.06.21 10:38 AQUAPALACE HOTEL PRAGUE - YOUR SEA OF FUN! AQUAPALACE HOTEL PRAGUE - VAŠE MOŘE ZÁBAVY! 4* SUPERIOR VODNÍ SPA & FITNESS RESTAURACE HOTEL & SAUNOVÝ SVĚT & WELLNESS & BARY www.aquapalaceresort.com Nahlédnětedněte ddoo minulostiosti – máte ji nad hlavou.. Peek into the past – it is aboveabove yoyour heads. 3 EDITORIAL Vážení čtenáři, Dear readers, áda vás opět vidím! Pravděpodobně jste am glad to see you again! You have most CZ EN Rnové vydání Magazínu Leo Express teď vzali I probably just opened the new issue of the do rukou na palubě některého z našich vlaků a jedete Leo Express Magazine in one of our trains and you na výlet nebo navštívit příbuzné či kamarády. Všichni might be on the way to an interesting trip or a visit to pociťujeme potřebu vykompenzovat si prosezenou zimu your friends or family. We all feel the need to make a jaro, které jsme strávili zabarikádovaní doma, a tak up for the winter and spring spent locked indoors. prozkoumáváme každé zákoutí, a to nejenom Česka. Join us exploring interesting corners of Czechia and V tomto čísle se totiž vydáme i dále za hranice. Zblízka beyond. This issue paid a visit to Košice which makes se podíváme na Košice, kam je letos ideální příležitost a perfect destination for this summer – the second vyrazit – druhé nejlidnatější město Slovenska rozhodně most populous city in Slovakia has a lot to off er.
    [Show full text]
  • Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Updates NAC Technology, Innovation and Engineering Committee Meeting | March 19, 2020
    Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Updates NAC Technology, Innovation and Engineering Committee Meeting | March 19, 2020 Christopher Baker NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Program Executive National Aeronautics and Space Administration 1 CHANGING THE PACE OF SPACE Through Small Spacecraft Technology and Flight Opportunities, Space Tech is pursuing the rapid identification, development, and testing of capabilities that exploit agile spacecraft platforms and responsive launch capabilities to increase the pace of space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2 THROUGH SUBORBITAL FLIGHT The Flight Opportunities program facilitates rapid demonstration of promising technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers LEARN MORE: WWW.NASA.GOV/TECHNOLOGY Photo Credit: Blue Origin National Aeronautics and Space Administration 3 FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES BY THE NUMBERS Between 2011 and today… In 2019 alone… Supported 195 successful fights Supported 15 successful fights Enabled 676 tests of payloads Enabled 47 tests of payloads 254 technologies in the portfolio 86 technologies in the portfolio 13 active commercial providers 9 active commercial providers National Aeronautics and Space Administration Numbers current as of March 1, 2020 4 TECHNOLOGY TESTED IN SUBORBITAL Lunar Payloads ISS SPACE IS GOING TO EARTH ORBIT, THE MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND Mars 2020 Commercial Critical Space Lunar Payload Exploration Services Solutions National Aeronautics and Space Administration 5 SUBORBITAL INFUSION HIGHLIGHT Commercial Lunar Payload Services Four companies selected as Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CPLS) providers leveraged Flight Opportunities-supported suborbital flights to test technologies that are incorporated into their landers and/or are testing lunar landing technologies under Flight Opportunities for others.
    [Show full text]
  • Reusable Suborbital Market Characterization
    Reusable Suborbital Market Characterization Prepared by The Tauri Group for Space Florida March 2011 Introduction Purpose: Define and characterize the markets reusable suborbital vehicles will address Goals Define market categories Identify market drivers Characterize current activities Provide basis for future market forecasting (Note that this study is not a forecast) Benefits Shared understanding improves quality and productivity of industry discourse A consistent taxonomy enables communications across the community, with Congress, press, and investors Accessible information helps industry participants assess opportunities, plan and coordinate activities, seek funding, and budget Proprietary www.taurigroup.com 2 Agenda Methodology Suborbital spaceflight attributes and vehicles Value proposition Characterization and analysis of markets Commercial human spaceflight Basic and applied research Aerospace technology test and demonstration Remote sensing Education Media & PR Point-to-point transportation Conclusions Proprietary www.taurigroup.com 3 Methodology Literature review and data Analysis and findings collection Vehicles Articles, reports, and publications Payload types Available launch and research Markets datasets Opportunities Applicable payloads Challenges Initial customers Users Interviews Economic buyers Researchers Launch service providers Funding agencies Potential commercial customers Users Proprietary www.taurigroup.com 4 Reusable Suborbital Vehicles Industry catalyzed by Ansari X
    [Show full text]
  • U.S. Human Space Flight Safety Record As of July 20, 2021
    U.S. Human Space Flight Safety Record (As of 20 July 2021) Launch Type Total # of Total # People Total # of Total # of People on Died or Human Space Catastrophic Space Flight Seriously Flights Failures6 Injured3 Orbital (Total) 9271 17 1664 3 Suborbital 2332 3 2135 2 (Total) Total 1160 20 379 5 § 460.45(c) An operator must inform each space flight participant of the safety record of all launch or reentry vehicles that have carried one or more persons on board, including both U.S. government and private sector vehicles. This information must include— (1) The total number of people who have been on a suborbital or orbital space flight and the total number of people who have died or been seriously injured on these flights; and (2) The total number of launches and reentries conducted with people on board and the number of catastrophic failures of those launches and reentries. Federal Aviation Administration AST Commercial Space Transportation Footnotes 1. People on orbital space flights include Mercury (Atlas) (4), Gemini (20), Apollo (36), Skylab (9), Space Shuttle (852), and Crew Dragon (6) a. Occupants are counted even if they flew on only the launch or reentry portion. The Space Shuttle launched 817 humans and picked up 35 humans from MIR and the International Space Station. b. Occupants are counted once reentry is complete. 2. People on suborbital space flights include X-15 (169), M2 (24), Mercury (Redstone) (2), SpaceShipOne (5), SpaceShipTwo (29), and New Shepard System (4) a. Only occupants on the rocket-powered space bound vehicles are counted per safety record criterion #11.
    [Show full text]
  • Space Policy Directive 1 New Shepard Flies Again 5
    BUSINESS | POLITICS | PERSPECTIVE DECEMBER 18, 2017 INSIDE ■ Space Policy Directive 1 ■ New Shepard fl ies again ■ 5 bold predictions for 2018 VISIT SPACENEWS.COM FOR THE LATEST IN SPACE NEWS INNOVATION THROUGH INSIGNT CONTENTS 12.18.17 DEPARTMENTS 3 QUICK TAKES 6 NEWS Blue Origin’s New Shepard flies again Trump establishes lunar landing goal 22 COMMENTARY John Casani An argument for space fission reactors 24 ON NATIONAL SECURITY Clouds of uncertainty over miltary space programs 26 COMMENTARY Rep. Brian Babin and Rep. Ami Ber We agree, Mr. President,. America should FEATURE return to the moon 27 COMMENTARY Rebecca Cowen- 9 Hirsch We honor the 10 Paving a clear “Path” to winners of the first interoperable SATCOM annual SpaceNews awards. 32 FOUST FORWARD Third time’s the charm? SpaceNews will not publish an issue Jan. 1. Our next issue will be Jan. 15. Visit SpaceNews.com, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletters at SpaceNews.com/newsletters. ON THE COVER: SPACENEWS ILLUSTRATION THIS PAGE: SPACENEWS ILLUSTRATION FOLLOW US @SpaceNews_Inc Fb.com/SpaceNewslnc youtube.com/user/SpaceNewsInc linkedin.com/company/spacenews SPACENEWS.COM | 1 VOLUME 28 | ISSUE 25 | $4.95 $7.50 NONU.S. CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENTS ADVERTISING SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Felix H. Magowan EDITORINCHIEF SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TOLL FREE IN U.S. [email protected] Brian Berger Debra Werner Paige McCullough Tel: +1-866-429-2199 Tel: +1-303-443-4360 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Fax: +1-845-267-3478 +1-571-356-9624 Tel: +1-571-278-4090 CEO LONDON OUTSIDE U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • NASA Flight Opportunities Space Technology Mission Directorate
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration Flight Opportunities Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA’s Flight Opportunities program strives to advance the operational readiness of innovative space technologies while also stimulating the development and utilization of the U.S. commercial spaceflight industry, particularly for the suborbital and small How to launch vehicle markets. Since its initiation in 2010, the program has provided affordable Access Flight access to relevant space-like environments for over 100 payloads across a variety of Opportunities flight platforms. There are currently two paths for accessing flight test opportunities: Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion (REDDI) External researchers can compete for flight funding through the REDDI NASA Research Announcement (NRA). Awardees receive a grant allowing them to directly purchase flights from U.S. commercial flight vendors that best meet their needs. The solicitation is biannual. Suborbital Reusable High-Altitude Balloon Parabolic Aircraft Launch Vehicles (sRLV) Systems These platforms enable NASA Internal Call for sRLVs enable a wide variety of These systems facilitate impact investigation of short-term Payloads experiments, such as testing studies on extended exposure exposure to reduced gravity, This path facilitates algorithms for landing or to cold, atmosphere, and with typical missions flying suborbital flight hazard avoidance, or evaluating radiation. In addition, high approximately 40 parabolas demonstrations for the response of systems to altitude balloons enable testing providing several seconds of technologies under microgravity. of sensors and instruments for reduced gravity during the flight. development by NASA and a variety of applications. other government agencies. Typical parabolic vehicles include Typical vehicles include Blue Zero G’s G-FORCE ONE.
    [Show full text]
  • Richard Hunter1, Mike Loucks2, Jonathan Currie1, Doug Sinclair3, Ehson Mosleh1, Peter Beck1
    Co-Authors: Richard Hunter1, Mike Loucks2, Jonathan Currie1, Doug Sinclair3, Ehson Mosleh1, Peter Beck1 1 Rocket Lab USA, Inc. 2Space Exploration Engineering 3Sinclair by Rocket Lab (formerly Sinclair Interplanetary) Photon-enabled Planetary Small Spacecraft Missions For Decadal Science A White Paper for the 2023-2032 Planetary Decadal Survey 1. OVERVIEW Regular, low-cost Decadal-class science missions to planetary destinations enabled by small high-ΔV spacecraft, like the high-energy Photon, support expanding opportunities for scientists and increase the rate of science return. The high-energy Photon can launch on Electron to precisely target escape asymptotes for planetary small spacecraft missions with payload masses up to ~50 kg without the need for a medium or heavy lift launch vehicle. The high-energy Photon can also launch as a secondary payload with even greater payload masses to deep-space science targets. This paper describes planetary mission concepts connected to science objectives that leverage Rocket Lab’s deep space mission approach. The high-energy Photon can access various planetary science targets of interest including the cislunar environment, Small Bodies, Mars, Venus, and the Outer Planets. Additional planetary small spacecraft missions with focused investigations are recommended, including dedicated small spacecraft missions that do not rely on launch as a secondary payload. 2. HIGH-ENERGY PHOTON Figure 1: The high-energy The high-energy Photon (Figure 1) is a self-sufficient small spacecraft Photon enables small planetary capable of long-duration interplanetary cruise. Its power system is science missions, including Venus probe missions. conventional, using photovoltaic solar arrays and lithium-polymer secondary batteries. The attitude control system includes star trackers, sun sensors, an inertial measurement unit, three reaction wheels, and a cold-gas reaction control system (RCS).
    [Show full text]
  • 액체로켓 메탄엔진 개발동향 및 시사점 Development Trends of Liquid
    Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 119-143, 2021 119 Technical Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.6108/KSPE.2021.25.2.119 액체로켓 메탄엔진 개발동향 및 시사점 임병직 a, * ㆍ 김철웅 a⋅ 이금오 a ㆍ 이기주 a ㆍ 박재성 a ㆍ 안규복 b ㆍ 남궁혁준 c ㆍ 윤영빈 d Development Trends of Liquid Methane Rocket Engine and Implications Byoungjik Lim a, * ㆍ Cheulwoong Kim a⋅ Keum-Oh Lee a ㆍ Keejoo Lee a ㆍ Jaesung Park a ㆍ Kyubok Ahn b ㆍ Hyuck-Joon Namkoung c ㆍ Youngbin Yoon d a Future Launcher R&D Program Office, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea b School of Mechanical Engineering, Chungbuk National University, Korea c Guided Munitions Team, Hyundai Rotem, Korea d Department of Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Selecting liquid methane as fuel is a prevailing trend for recent rocket engine developments around the world, triggered by its affordability, reusability, storability for deep space exploration, and prospect for in-situ resource utilization. Given years of time required for acquiring a new rocket engine, a national-level R&D program to develop a methane engine is highly desirable at the earliest opportunity in order to catch up with this worldwide trend towards reusing launch vehicles for competitiveness and mission flexibility. In light of the monumental cost associated with development, fabrication, and testing of a booster stage engine, it is strategically a prudent choice to start with a low-thrust engine and build up space application cases.
    [Show full text]
  • The Future of Space Exploration
    10.5 The Future of Space Exploration Space exploration is relatively new. Before the 1950s, information about space was obtained only through telescopes. However, in the past 50 years, humans have visited the Moon, sent robots to distant planets, invented the fi rst space plane, and lived and worked in orbit aboard space stations. What do you think will be the next steps for space exploration? Th e next two decades may see human expeditions going out into the Solar System. Can you imagine humans establishing a colony on the Moon or landing on Mars (Figure 1)? Will we have faster, cheaper ways to travel in space? Will people vacation on other planets? Th ese are only a few of the possible Figure 1 Mars will be a prime innovations in space exploration. destination for future astronauts. After the Space Shuttle Th e space shuttle is the main vehicle used by astronauts to go into space. Flying since 1981, all three remaining shuttles are scheduled for retirement in 2010 aft er they haul the last component up to the International Space Station to fi nish its construction. LEARNING TIP To replace the space shuttle system, NASA is in the early stages of Ares Series developing a pair of new reusable launch vehicles. NASA’s Ares rockets, Ares is named after the Greek god named for the Greek god associated with Mars, will return humans to of war, the god associated with the the moon and later take them to Mars and other destinations. Th e planet Mars. The Ares spacecraft is designed to take humans beyond crew launch vehicle will be a smaller rocket called Ares I (Figure 2(a)).
    [Show full text]
  • Global Exploration Roadmap
    The Global Exploration Roadmap January 2018 What is New in The Global Exploration Roadmap? This new edition of the Global Exploration robotic space exploration. Refinements in important role in sustainable human space Roadmap reaffirms the interest of 14 space this edition include: exploration. Initially, it supports human and agencies to expand human presence into the robotic lunar exploration in a manner which Solar System, with the surface of Mars as • A summary of the benefits stemming from creates opportunities for multiple sectors to a common driving goal. It reflects a coordi- space exploration. Numerous benefits will advance key goals. nated international effort to prepare for space come from this exciting endeavour. It is • The recognition of the growing private exploration missions beginning with the Inter- important that mission objectives reflect this sector interest in space exploration. national Space Station (ISS) and continuing priority when planning exploration missions. Interest from the private sector is already to the lunar vicinity, the lunar surface, then • The important role of science and knowl- transforming the future of low Earth orbit, on to Mars. The expanded group of agencies edge gain. Open interaction with the creating new opportunities as space agen- demonstrates the growing interest in space international science community helped cies look to expand human presence into exploration and the importance of coopera- identify specific scientific opportunities the Solar System. Growing capability and tion to realise individual and common goals created by the presence of humans and interest from the private sector indicate and objectives. their infrastructure as they explore the Solar a future for collaboration not only among System.
    [Show full text]
  • Planetary Defence Activities Beyond NASA and ESA
    Planetary Defence Activities Beyond NASA and ESA Brent W. Barbee 1. Introduction The collision of a significant asteroid or comet with Earth represents a singular natural disaster for a myriad of reasons, including: its extraterrestrial origin; the fact that it is perhaps the only natural disaster that is preventable in many cases, given sufficient preparation and warning; its scope, which ranges from damaging a city to an extinction-level event; and the duality of asteroids and comets themselves---they are grave potential threats, but are also tantalising scientific clues to our ancient past and resources with which we may one day build a prosperous spacefaring future. Accordingly, the problems of developing the means to interact with asteroids and comets for purposes of defence, scientific study, exploration, and resource utilisation have grown in importance over the past several decades. Since the 1980s, more and more asteroids and comets (especially the former) have been discovered, radically changing our picture of the solar system. At the beginning of the year 1980, approximately 9,000 asteroids were known to exist. By the beginning of 2001, that number had risen to approximately 125,000 thanks to the Earth-based telescopic survey efforts of the era, particularly the emergence of modern automated telescopic search systems, pioneered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT’s) LINEAR system in the mid-to-late 1990s.1 Today, in late 2019, about 840,000 asteroids have been discovered,2 with more and more being found every week, month, and year. Of those, approximately 21,400 are categorised as near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), 2,000 of which are categorised as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs)3 and 2,749 of which are categorised as potentially accessible.4 The hazards posed to us by asteroids affect people everywhere around the world.
    [Show full text]