Why have we not commercialized space other than through the use of satellites?

Question

Do we lack the technology, is the cost outrageous, or are there other reasons?

Answer 1

Sometimes the right questions are so obvious no one asks them! My compliments.

There are a set of reasons (like everything else, nothing is ever nice and simple). But here's a couple of points that will give you the general idea.

In the 1970s, the Space Suttle was intended to become the base of commercialization of space. The technology for a manned spacecraft was way too costly for private corporations, but the idea was that NASA needed an advanced spacecraft anyway--and private industry could "piggyback) off it--and part of NASA's costs would be defrayed-a win-win situation. By the mid-80s a consortium of several companies had designed a (mostly automated) orbital manufacturing platform. However, at that pooint it had become depressing clear that the Shuttle was too unreliable to provide the regular service the project had to have, so the companies withdrew.

The next signifignant attempt to commercialize space came in the early 1990s with the "Delta Clipper" project. The DCX-1 and 2 were small rockets designed and built by McDonnell-Douglas Corp. They were not orbital craft, but rather research vehicles--funded by NASA, but with the idea of developing a low cost, reliable manned vehicle that could serve both NASA's launch requirements and be cost-effective enough for private corporations to purchase and operate as well. The project was cancelled by Congress in favor of the "VentureStar"--an alternative design designed by Lockheed--but then that, too, was cancelled by Congress. Given the long lead time development would require--and the high R&D costs, neither corporation was able to continue the projects on their own. To be fair,both projects also ran into technical problems--but not insoluable ones. The engineers had solved the key problem with the Venturestar--but the project was cancelled before the changes could be implemented and the prototype test flown.

Today we are seeing the emergance of a private space industry. The most well known part of this is the "Spaceship One" tat reached space in 2004, though it's not an orbit-capable vehicle. The first operational vresion ("Spaceship Two) is currently under construction by Bert Rutan's "Scaled Composites" company for Richard Bransons start-up "Virgin Galactic" company (The ship is to be named "Enterprise." :) Really!).

But that is only a small part of what's going on. Other companies are developing a variety of technologies--resuable boosters (SpaceX corp.), orbital habitats (Bigelow Astronautics) and a competing spacecraft (Blue Originn Corp.) to name a few.

What's hapened is that the technology has advanced--and is now much more versitle and MUCH less expensive--so that private corporations are now able to realistically tackle such projects. Granted, this emerging commercial space sector is in its very early stages--but if (as appears likely) it can establish itself in the next decade, even on a modest scale--its going to change everything we think about space travel.

Answer 2

How else is space to be commercialized EXCEPT through the use of satellites? You can't just go up there and wave a banner..you are either a satellite (either of the earth, sun, or other planet) or a meteor.

Now, if you mean why is the only visible commercialization in space communication, GPS, and weather satellites then you have an extremely valid question. The answer is cost, of course. It costs billions of dollars to develop transportation to space, and even more to develop manned transportation to space. Buying the technology is out of the question because it isn't for sale. In addition, there is the perception that space is a dangerous place to get to and come back from, and there aren't very many people who want to risk their lives to see earth from 200 km away. Once safety becomes much less of an issue and cost comes down (which it will) you will see hotels and resorts in earth orbit. Remember, too: the first satellite was launched less than 50 years ago, so it is still very early in the "learning curve" of space travel to even expect much commercial travel.

Answer 3

It's a matter of cost. It takes 62 megajoules of energy per kilogram to lift something into orbit. You have to get those 62 MJ of energy from somewhere, and that somewhere has usually been the burning of enormous quantities of liquid hydrogen or kerosene with liquid oxygen. And I do mean enormous quantities. A Saturn V rocket massed over three million kilograms. 96% of this was fuel and vehicle and 3% was useful payload (and 97% of the vehicle's mass was fuel.) When you throw in the costs of producing the sophisticated rocket motors and casings, the costs add up quickly (since you're building a vehicle which you will promptly throw away 96% of) . . . right up to the point where it's only commercially feasible to send up an expensive satellite the mass of a small car that will stay operate up in orbit for the next decade.

Private firms are working to make rockets less expensive, but progress has been slow, and they're generally working on making rockets that are better at lofting satellites into orbit. To loft a space station into orbit requires a larger rocket and people trained in putting it together and operating it, adding more to the cost. Not to mention people who go into space have to undergo training, due to the compexity of the systems involved, and the myriad of things that can go wrong in space. All of this requires expensive facilities and equipment.

We are still very far away from widespread commercialization of space as a direct result of all these expensive things one must do, in order to get into space and stay there.

Answer 4

What exactly do you think there is to commercialize?

It costs millions of dollars to send one person to the Space Station.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

You said it!

We are, however, letting people take very expensive vacations in space these days.

Answer 7

Well the Chinese just gave us one more reason.

Answer 8

bureacracy