Should NASA Open Low-Orbit Space to Business? - ' Minimizing the Risk of '
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But tourism can only go so far, Meyers says. Space Island Group plans to use the insides of the current shuttle's external fuel tanks as facilities that will be leased for research, tourism, and even sponsored launches and sporting events. Using solar space sails developed by NASA, the company hopes to build power stations that would beam energy to Earth via a weak microwave signal. Meyers is pitching officials in China, India and California on space power to fund his shuttle development.
The building block for all of those business cases, however, is cheap launches, Edwards says. Forecast International estimates that a rocket launch can cost from $25 million to $150 million, depending on payload.
What could make a better business case? Less expensive rockets. Space Exploration Technologies, based in El Segundo, Calif., is developing a rocket that would launch for $6 million. "If that works, it would open space up quite a bit," Edwards says.
Challenge: Risk management
Solution: Communicate the risks of space exploration and embrace them.
Perhaps the most daunting challenge facing NASA and commercial providers is the basic risk of flying into space. Will travel outside the atmosphere ever be completely safe? Should it be? How many deaths can be allowed?
With little margin for error, techies in a space operation have to unfailingly put the right information and analysis in from of the people who can act on it. Changing the Fate of Those in Space
Elon Musk, CEO of Space Exploration, says the risks need to be communicated clearly, and the public then will know enough to accept or reject space travel.
"NASA overstated the safety [aspect], and now space travel is held up to an unreasonable standard," Musk says. "Space travel is dangerous and as long as we accept that risk, we shouldn't be overly concerned about it."
Meyers notes that handing off low-orbit space to the private sector would allow more risk-taking—and possibly more technology breakthroughs. As for selling risk, Meyers looks to NASCAR for inspiration: "With NASCAR, you know it's dangerous and you know something can go wrong. And a lot of people are attracted to that."
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