Wikipedia

Commercial use of space

(Redirected fromSpace economy)
This article is about general space-related commerce. For entrepreneurial space ventures and colonization, seePrivate spaceflight.

Space economyrefers to the set of activities, industries, technologies, services, and resources that generate economic value through the exploration, understanding, management, and utilization ofouter space.[1][2]

Intelsat I(1965), the world's first commercialcommunications satellite,was used among others to relay theOur Worldmulti-national broadcast (1967), the first multi-satellite relayed televisionbroadcast.

Commercial satellite use began in 1962 withTelstar 1,transmitting TV signals across theAtlantic Ocean.Syncom 3expanded possibilities in 1964, broadcasting theOlympics.NASA'sTIROS satellitesadvancedmeteorologicalresearch, whileIntelsat Iin 1965 showed commercial viability. Later, France'sArianespaceand USA'sIridium Communicationsfurthered satellite services. By 2004, global investment in all space sectors was estimated to be US$50.8 billion.[3]As of 2010, 31% of all space launches were commercial.[4]By the year 2035, the space economy is projected to have grown to $1.8 trillion.[5]

The commercial spaceflight sector primarily generates revenue by launching satellites into Earth's orbit, facilitated by providers deploying satellites intoLow Earth OrbitandGeostationary Earth Orbit.TheFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) licenses six U.S.spaceportsand oversees commercial rocket launches, with global capacity expanding from sites in Russia, France, and China. Investment inreusable launch vehiclesby companies likeSpaceXandBlue Originis driving innovation in this sector. In 2022, 74 FAA-licensed commercial space operations were conducted, and this number is expected to double in the near future.

Commercial satellite manufacturing encompasses non-military, civilian, governmental, and non-profit satellite production along with ground equipment manufacturing, supporting satellite operations, and transponder leasing providing satellite access. Satellite subscription services offer access to a variety of television channels (such asDirecTVandDish network), radio stations (likeSiriusXM), and other media content through satellite transmission. Satellite imagery provides detailed views of Earth, sold by imaging companies to governments and businesses likeApple Maps.Satellite telecommunications enable Internet services globally. Satellite navigation systems use signals from satellites for precise positioning and timing. Space tourism ventures (led bySpaceX,Virgin GalacticandBlue Origin) envision recreational human space travel. Commercial space resource recovery involves extracting materials from asteroids and other celestial bodies for use in space or on Earth.

Space commerce regulation has historically faced challenges regarding property rights in space, but legislation like theU.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Actaims to clarify ownership and encourage commercial space exploration.

History

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See also:Timeline of private spaceflight

The first commercial use of satellites may have been theTelstar 1satellite, launched in 1962, which was the first privately sponsored space launch, funded byAT&TandBell Telephone Laboratories.Telstar 1 was capable of relaying television signals across theAtlantic Ocean,and was the first satellite to transmit live television,telephone,fax,and other data signals.[6][7]Two years later, theHughes Aircraft Companydeveloped theSyncom 3satellite, ageosynchronouscommunications satellite,leased to theDepartment of Defense.Commercial possibilities of satellites were further realized when the Syncom 3, orbiting near theInternational Date Line,was used to telecast the1964 Olympic GamesfromTokyoto theUnited States.[8][9]

Between 1960 and 1966, theU.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) launched a series of earlyweather satellitesknown asTelevision Infrared Observation Satellites(TIROS). These satellites greatly advancedmeteorologyworldwide, as satellite imagery was used for better forecasting, for both public and commercial interests.[10][11]

On April 6, 1965, theHughes Aircraft Companyplaced theIntelsat Icommunications satelliteingeosynchronous orbitover the Atlantic Ocean. Intelsat I was built for theCommunications Satellite Corporation(COMSAT), and demonstrated that satellite-based communication was commercially feasible. Intelsat I allowed for near-instantaneous contact betweenEuropeandNorth Americaby handling television, telephone and fax transmissions.[12][13]Two years later, theSoviet Unionlaunched theOrbitasatellite, which provided television signals acrossRussia,and started the first nationalsatellite televisionnetwork.[14][15]Similarly, the 1972Anik Asatellite, launched byTelesat Canada,allowed theCanadian Broadcasting Corporationto reachnorthern Canadafor the first time.[16][17]

In 1980, Europe'sArianespacebecame the world's first commerciallaunch service provider.[18][19]

Beginning in 1997,Iridium Communicationsbegan launching a series of satellites known as theIridium satellite constellation,which provided the first satellites for directsatellite telephoneservice.[20][21]

Spaceflight

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See also:Private spaceflight
Delta IV Medium launch carrying DSCS III-B6

The commercialspaceflightindustry derives the bulk of its revenue from the launching of satellites into the Earth's orbit. Commercial launch providers typically place private and government satellites intolow Earth orbit(LEO) andgeosynchronous Earth orbit(GEO).

TheFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) has licensed six commercialspaceportsin the United States:Wallops Flight Facility,Kodiak Launch Complex,Spaceport Florida,Kennedy Space Center,Cape Canaveral Space Force Station,and theVandenberg Air Force Base.Launch sites withinRussia,France,andChinahave added to the global commercial launch capacity. TheDelta IV,Atlas V,andFalconfamily of launch vehicles are made available for commercial ventures for the United States, while Russia promotes eight families of vehicles.[citation needed]

Between 1996 and 2002, 245 launches were made for commercial ventures while government (non-classified) launches only totaled 167 for the same period.[citation needed]Commercial space flight has spurred investment into the development of an efficientreusable launch vehicle(RLV) which can place larger payloads into orbit. Several companies such asSpaceXandBlue Originare currently developing new RLV designs.

In theUnited States,the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (generally referred to asFAA/ASTor simply AST) is the branch of theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) that approves any commercialrocketlaunch operations—that is, any launches that are not classified asmodel,amateur, or "by and for thegovernment."[22]Infiscal year2022, there were 74 FAA-licensed commercial space operations, which includes both launches and reentries.[23]In 2023, the FAA predicted that commercial launches it licenses could more than double in the next several years.[23]

Satellites and equipment

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ESTCube-1, a low-costCubeSatfor education.

Satellite manufacturing

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Commercial satellite manufacturing is defined by the United States government as satellites manufactured for civilian, government, ornon-profituse.[citation needed]Not included are satellites constructed for military use, nor for activities associated with anyhuman space flightprogram. Between the years of 1996 and 2002, satellite manufacturing within the United States experienced an annual growth of 11%.[citation needed]The rest of the world experienced higher growth levels of around 13%.[citation needed]

[24]Ground equipment manufacturing

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Operating satellites communicate via receivers and transmitters on Earth. The manufacturing of satelliteground stationcommunication terminals (includingVSATs), mobilesatellite telephones,and home television receivers are a part of the ground equipment manufacturing sector. This sector grew through the latter half of the 1990s as it manufactured equipment for the satellite services sector. Between 1996 and 2002, this industry saw a 14% annual increase.[citation needed]

Satellite imagery

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Main article:Satellite imagery

Satellite imagery(also Earth observation imagery or spaceborne photography) areimagesofEarthor other planets collected byimaging satellitesoperated by governments and businesses around the world. Satellite imaging companies sell images by licensing them to governments and businesses such asApple MapsandGoogle Maps.

Satellite telecommunications

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In 1994,DirecTVdebuteddirect broadcast satelliteby introducing a signal receiving dish 18 inches in diameter. In 1996,Astrostarted inMalaysiawith the launch of theMEASATsatellite. In November 1999, the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act became law, and local stations were then made available in satellite channel packages, fueling the industry's growth in the years that followed. By the end of 2000, DTH subscriptions totaled over 67 million.[citation needed]

Satellite radiowas pioneered byXM Satellite RadioandSirius Satellite Radio.XM's first satellite was launched on March 18, 2001 and its second on May 8, 2001.[25]Its first broadcast occurred on September 25, 2001, nearly four months before Sirius.[26]Sirius launched the initial phase of its service in four cities on February 14, 2002,[27]expanding to the rest of the contiguous United States on July 1, 2002.[26]The two companies spent over $3 billion combined to develop satellite radio technology, build and launch the satellites, and for various other business expenses.[28]

Satellite internetis also an emerging market, as they can be used to transmit and receive Internet services from space to any place in the planet Earth.[29]This enables its use for markets such ascruise ships,long-haul buses, flights and rural areas.Starlinkis a notable example of such a service offered bySpaceX.

Transponder leasing

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Businesses that operate satellites often lease or sell access to their satellites to data relay andtelecommunicationfirms. This service is often referred to as transponder leasing. Between 1996 and 2002, this industry experienced a 15% annual growth. The United States accounts for about 32% of the world's transponder market.[citation needed]

Satellite navigation

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Main article:Satellite navigation
Magellan GPS receiver in a marine application.

A satellite navigation or satnav system is a system that usessatellitesto provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning. It allows smallelectronicreceivers to determine their location (longitude,latitude,andaltitude/elevation) to high precision (within a few centimeters to metres) usingtime signalstransmitted along aline of sightbyradiofrom satellites. The system can be used for providing position, navigation or for tracking the position of something fitted with a receiver (satellite tracking). The signals also allow the electronic receiver to calculate the current local time to high precision, which allows time synchronization. These uses are collectively known as Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT). Satnav systems operate independently of any telephonic or internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the positioning information generated.

Space tourism

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Virgin GalacticVMS Eve
Main article:Space tourism

Space tourism ishuman space travelfor recreational purposes.[30]There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. Work also continues towards developing suborbital space tourism vehicles. This is being done by aerospace companies likeBlue OriginandVirgin Galactic.

Commercial recovery of space resources

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See also:Asteroid mining
Artist's concept of asteroid mining

Commercial recovery of space resources is the exploitation of raw materials fromasteroids,comets and other space objects, includingnear-Earth objects.[31]Minerals and volatiles could beminedthen used in space forin-situ utilization(e.g., construction materials and rocket propellant) or taken back toEarth.These includegold,iridium,silver,osmium,palladium,platinum,rhenium,rhodium,rutheniumandtungstenfor transport back to Earth;iron,cobalt,manganese,molybdenum,nickel,aluminium,andtitaniumfor construction; water and oxygen to sustain astronauts; as well as hydrogen, ammonia, and oxygen for use as rocket propellant.

There are several commercial enterprises working in this field, includingispace Inc.andMoon Express.

The first in-space transaction of resources iscontracted by NASAto four companies to sell NASA collected lunar regolith on the Moon.[32]

Regulation

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Beyond the many technological factors that could make space commercialization more widespread, it has been suggested that the lack ofprivate property,the difficulty or inability of individuals in establishingproperty rightsin space, has been an impediment to the development of space for both human habitation and commercial development.[33]

Since the advent ofspace technologyin the latter half of the twentieth century, the ownership of property in space has been murky, with strong arguments both for and against. In particular, the making ofnationalterritorial claimsinouter spaceand oncelestial bodieshas been specifically proscribed by theOuter Space Treaty,which had been, as of 2012,ratified by all spacefaring nations.[33]

On November 25, 2015, President Obama signed theU.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2262)into law. The law recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own space resources they obtain and encourages the commercial exploration and utilization of resources from asteroids. According to the law under51 U.S.C. § 51303:[34]

A United States citizen engaged in commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space resource under this chapter shall be entitled to any asteroid resource or space resource obtained, including to possess, own, transport, use, and sell the asteroid resource or space resource obtained in accordance with applicable law, including the international obligations of the United States

See also

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References

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Further reading

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