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How Far and Fast Can the Commercial Space World Grow?

Posted by Soulskill on from the in-direct-proportion-to-the-benjamins dept.

coondoggie writes "The development of the commercial space industry has in the past been slow and deliberate, but that seems like it's about to change with a whirlwind of developments that could shape or break its immediate future. Today the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is holding a hearing to go over the Federal Aviation Administration's 2012 budget request, which includes close to $27 million — nearly a 75% increase over 2010 — in the budget for the group tasked with overseeing commercial space development. They're also evaluating the need for a longer regulatory ban. Also this week the Government Accountability Office issued a review of the issues the commercial space industry and the FAA face (PDF) going forward "

5 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Sky is the .... by W1sdOm_tOOth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh, wait....

    --
    If you're not confused, you're not paying attention
  2. What will commercial space companies do? by petes_PoV · · Score: 4, Interesting
    So far the only areas commercial space outfits have been able to turn a profit is communications and TV satellites. There's not a whole lot in the way of raw materials they've been able to exploit. Not that much in terms of tourism/leisure - apart from a few bored billionaires. And no space-based manufacturing or processes that would come close to break even.

    So the speed of development seems to be limited by companies' ability to find things in or about space that can be commercially exploited. It's still not clear what else there is out there that would be a profitable venture.

    --
    politicians are like babies' nappies: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reasons
  3. But why? by MrQuacker · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The real question is why do we need to go up there in the first place?

    Communication and physics research satellites seem to be the only thing people are launching. Until more tech that is space-only is developed, we really have no reason to go up there.

    Supply and demand. We have no demand, so therefore there is no supply.

    What we should be focusing on is how to create the demand.

    1. Re:But why? by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Tourism is a huge demand. You get it down to $10k and I will take a ticket right now. Lots of other folks would be buying at $100k.

    2. Re:But why? by VortexCortex · · Score: 5, Insightful
      http://xkcd.com/893/ -- note especially the alt text:

      The universe is probably littered with the one-planet graves of cultures which made the sensible economic decision that there's no good reason to go into space--each discovered, studied, and remembered by the ones who made the irrational decision.

      I mean -- its not like our space faring civilization will ever just build itself us.

      I mean -- It's not like theres ever been another dominant life form that's now utterly extinct due to one or two slightly above average asteroids striking the Earth -- You can be complacent because you're ancestors were not dinosaurs... I suppose you believe Mammals are impervious to extinction events since we're so prevalent and adaptable (tell that to the anaerobic life that was killed off in the great origination catastrophe --- hint: our oxygen levels drop a bit more, we won't be having this discussion, it'll be the anaerobes' turn again).

      In short: Life on Earth finally got decent brains! Let's not flippin' waste them due to insignificant BS and artificially important economic issues -- Anything less than advocating space exploration is burying your head in the sand (and ignoring the fossil record found there).

      Those that don't know their history are doomed; There is no second chance to repeat it for some species.