Space Renaissance International has kicked-off the discussion leading towards its second world congress. Our first reflection is a self-critical one: in 2011, our first congress, we anticipated the kickoff of civilian astronautics that would be catalyzed by space tourism. But the long promised start of commercial suborbital flights did not occur as expected. In the meantime, SpaceX has become a key part of the revolution by developing reusable rockets, obtaining NASA contracts. Reducing the cost to orbit objectively supports the civilian astronautics development which allows more private enterprises to enter the market. Jeff Greason, who recently joined the Space Renaissance USA Chapter, says that there is more work to be done between LEO and GEO than what we expect, and that, working in orbital workshops and space transport nodes, human technicians will cost less, and be more efficient, than fully robotized systems.
To assemble satellites in orbiting facilities, by human technicians, and transport them from LEO to destination (GEO or intermediate), would be cheaper than to send them to destination from Earth, equipped with expensive automated mechanisms for self-deployment of antennas, solar panels, etc…. Humans for assembling, deploying, repairing and mantaining satellites and machines, are essential, and cheaper. The major space agencies market is anymore a closed captive market dominated by a cartel composed by few traditional aerospace dealers. NASA is now a competition field, that improves performance of all the suppliers. The main road to the building of geo-lunar space infrastructures: agencies to purchase services and supplies by private industry. Little doubt that a human return to the Moon, even with a permanent base could be done privately for something on the order or $10-$20 billion. No space agency is likely to do that so cheaply, and it is very difficult for the private sector to justify spending that money. But if space agencies really wanted a return to the moon – they can afford it, if they just buy it. Key to generate a virtuous industrial space market: to begin using extraterrestrial sources of propellant, coming from Lunar and asteroidal sources.
