Evolution of the Role of Space Agencies
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Full Report Evolution of the Role of Space Agencies Report: Title: “ESPI Report 70 - Evolution of the Role of Space Agencies - Full Report” Published: October 2019 ISSN: 2218-0931 (print) • 2076-6688 (online) Editor and publisher: European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) Schwarzenbergplatz 6 • 1030 Vienna • Austria Phone: +43 1 718 11 18 -0 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.espi.or.at Rights reserved - No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without permission from ESPI. Citations and extracts to be published by other means are subject to mentioning “ESPI Report 70 - Evolution of the Role of Space Agencies - Full Report, October 2019. All rights reserved” and sample transmission to ESPI before publishing. ESPI is not responsible for any losses, injury or damage caused to any person or property (including under contract, by negligence, product liability or otherwise) whether they may be direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential, resulting from the information contained in this publication. Design: copylot.at Cover page picture credit: NASA TABLE OF CONTENT 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Rationale ............................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Structure ............................................................................................................................................... 3 2 A BRIEF HISTORY OF SPACE AGENCIES: ROLES, MANDATES, MODELS .............................. 5 2.1 Historical Overview .............................................................................................................................. 5 2.1.1 NASA: Inception and Evolution of a Superpower Space Agency ..................................................6 2.1.2 ESA: The Regional and Intergovernmental Space Agency .............................................................9 2.1.3 ASI: Focus on Industrial Policy as “System Architect” ................................................................. 14 2.1.4 CNES: Encompassing Civil and Defence ........................................................................................ 14 2.1.5 DLR: Research, Administration and Operations ............................................................................ 15 2.1.6 UKSA: Business-Oriented ................................................................................................................... 16 2.2 Core Tasks of Space Agencies ........................................................................................................ 17 2.2.1 Proposal of a Space Policy ................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.2 Implementation of the Space Policy................................................................................................ 19 2.2.3 National and International Representation .................................................................................... 20 2.3 Mechanisms of Procurement .......................................................................................................... 21 2.3.1 Traditional Public Procurement ........................................................................................................ 21 2.3.2 Public-Private Partnerships ............................................................................................................... 22 2.4 Agencies’ “Catalyst” Role in Market Creation: The Case of ESA ................................................... 27 2.4.1 Meteorology: EUMETSAT .................................................................................................................. 28 2.4.2 Telecoms: EUTELSAT ........................................................................................................................ 29 2.4.3 Launch Services: Arianespace .......................................................................................................... 30 3 UNFOLDING TRENDS AND APPROACHES IN THE SPACE SECTOR ..................................... 32 3.1 A New Approach to Space ................................................................................................................ 32 3.1.1 New and Increased Number of Actors ............................................................................................ 34 3.1.2 New Mechanisms and Availability of Funding............................................................................... 36 3.1.3 Technological Spin-in and Digitalisation ......................................................................................... 37 3.1.4 Wider and Deeper Engagement ........................................................................................................ 38 3.2 The U.S. Push to Commercialise LEO ............................................................................................. 39 3.2.1 Space Shuttle Retirement and the COTS Programme: Foundations of a New Approach .... 41 3.2.2 COTS Legacy and NASA Paradigm Shift ........................................................................................ 43 3.2.3 Looking Ahead: the NASA 2018 Strategy ....................................................................................... 46 3.3 The European Spacescape in the 2010s: New Agencies and New Modes of Interaction ........ 47 3.3.1 ESA’s Evolving Strategy ..................................................................................................................... 47 3.3.2 Space Affairs at European Union Level ........................................................................................... 55 3.3.3 National Agencies: Heightened Focus on Fostering Businesses .............................................. 57 4 ASSESSMENT OF THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE INTERACTION IN THE SPACE SECTOR ............. 60 4.1 Traditional Public Procurement ....................................................................................................... 60 4.1.1 Merits..................................................................................................................................................... 61 4.1.2 Limits ..................................................................................................................................................... 62 4.2 Public-Private Partnerships .............................................................................................................. 63 4.2.1 Merits..................................................................................................................................................... 64 4.2.2 Limits ..................................................................................................................................................... 67 4.3 The Challenge of Balancing Risk-Sharing, Control and Reward ................................................... 69 5 REFLECTIONS ON AN EXPANDED ROLE FOR EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCIES .................... 72 5.1 Responding to a New Situation ....................................................................................................... 72 5.2 Rethinking the Customer-Provider Relationship ............................................................................ 75 5.3 Revisiting Long-Standing Procurement Tenets ............................................................................. 78 5.4 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 79 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................................... 81 ABOUT THE AUTHORS ....................................................................................................................... 81 ABOUT ESPI ......................................................................................................................................... 82 Evolution of the Role of Space Agencies 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background In the first 60 years of global space activity, national governments played the principal role in driving the majority of space ventures. Supporting the public agenda on space, the private sector under this model acted as contractors for public programmes, thus owing its early and continued existence on the availability of public funding. For the past decade, various trends show a growing involvement, and types of involvement, from the private sector in an expanding range of space-related initiatives and programmes. Taking place at a time when technologies are becoming more affordable and easier to develop, and together with more business-oriented political leadership and a favourable financial landscape, these developments are giving way to an increasingly prominent role for commercial actors in the space sector. It is therefore clear that the increasing involvement of commercial companies in public programmes and a change in the nature of the public/private sector relationship, presents a paradigm shift that is becoming an ever-greater focus of consideration for governments and space agencies. The growing opportunity for new and emerging space actors