Abstract
Commercial activity in space can cover a wide range, but for the purposes of considering the future of the space program as a whole three reasonably well-defined categories can cover the territory. First, we can put machines—communications satellites and other types of equipment—in space near the earth, without putting human beings there. Second, we can perform experiments and make things by putting both machines and humans in low earth orbit. Third, we can put space industries, people, or both beyond low earth orbit; this form of space industrialization is quite visionary. Since it’s impossible to tell whether such industrial activities will be profitable, it’s also hard to predict whether people will be needed. Even so, a few sensible comments can be made about which destinations in the solar system seem to make the most sense.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Reference Notes
European Space Agency, With an Eye to the Future: ESA General Studies Programme 1988, ESA SP-1100 (April 1988), (Paris: European Space Agency, 1988).
“Soviet Commercial Marketing Focuses on Microgravity Flight Opportunities,” Aviation Week and Space Technology (July 25, 1988), pp. 48-49.
See H. L. Shipman, Space 2000: Meeting the Challenge of a New Era (New York: Plenum, 1987), Chapt. 4.
Peter Brunt and Alan Naylor, “Telecommunications and Space,” in Michael Schwarz and Paul Stares, The Exploitation of Space (London: Butterworth, 1982), pp. 77–94.
William Burrows, Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security (New York: Random House, 1986), pp. 247ff.
A good article on Geostar’s operations is “Space Operations Begin Using Geostar Pay load,” by Theresa M. Foley, Aviation Week (July 25, 1988), pp. 55-56.
Shipman, Space 2000, Chapt. 15.
Of course, the phrase “catbird seat” is from the memorable sportscaster Red Barber.
James J. Haggerty, Spinoff 85 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office), pp. 36-37.
see also R. E. Halpern, in G. A. Hazelrigg and J. M. Reynolds, eds., Opportunities for Academic Research in a Low-Gravity Environment, Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Vol. 108 (New York: AIAA, 1986), pp. 28–29; “Space Processed Latex Spheres Sold,” Aviation Week and Space Technology (22 July 1985), p. 22.
Haggerty, Spinoff 85, p. 37.
Ray A. Williamson, “Tne Industrialization of Space: Prospects and Barriers,” in Schwarz and Stares, The Exploitation of Space, pp. 70-71.
James A. Graham, “Comments on Metals and Alloys,” in Schwarz and Stares, pp. 159-163. In Space 2000 (pp. 145-146) I noticed some confusion in the published literature regarding whether Deere was continuing its experiments; since Graham works for Deere, I regard his statement that Deere is continuing to work with NASA as definitive.
T. M. Donahue et al. (Study Steering Group), Space Science in the Twenty First Century: Imperatives for the Decades 1995 to 2015—Overview (Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1988), pp. 57-59; see also the report of the Fundamental Physics and Chemistry Panel of the same group, chaired by R. Weiss and J. M. Reynolds.
“Houston Physicist Gains Ground on Space Vacuum Research Facility,” in Computers in Physics (Jan./Feb. 1988), pp. 14-15.
Shipman, Space 2000, pp. 323-324.
Gail Bronson, “Mission Irrelevant,” Forbes (24 March 1986), pp. 176-177.
Shipman, Space 2000, Chapt. 7.
A. R. Oberg, “The Grass Roots of the Mars Conference,” in P. J. Boston, ed., The Case for Mars (San Diego: Univelt, 1981), p. xi; Solar System Exploration Committee, Planetary Exploration through the Year 2000: An Augmented Program, pp. 152-181.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Harry L. Shipman
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Shipman, H.L. (1989). Space Industrialization. In: Humans in Space. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6104-4_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6104-4_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-306-43171-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-6104-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive