Some initial responses (randomly selected)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
- Cost-effective transportation to LEO and lack of ‘killer app’ business ideas. (The commercial GEO services market is thriving with existing launch prices, so the price of launch isn’t universally inhibiting commercial space.)
- A nearly universal lack of awareness inside and outside space circles that commercial space has dominated the world space market (>50% of all value) since 1997! There is already a HUGE commercial space economy, but few know about it.
(Response A)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
The biggest barrier to commercial space is the lack of true co-development. Technologies can be developed for terrestrial applications as well as for space thus reducing the development time and cost for both. (Response B)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
NASA needs to create a market for commercial space activities. Government service providers should not be in competition with industry. NASA should be in the business of providing services and infrastructer that industry is unwilling to provide. Privatization is not a welcome idea at NASA HQ nor is it embraced by the NASA centers. (Response C)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
The cultural barrier of civil servants working with industry; government FAR based procurements. (Response D)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
NASA itself as presently constituted
As a result of this: launch cost
(Response E)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
1) $1000 per pound cargo to orbit
2) Reusable rockets
3) Time to approve NASA paperwork if you are not a COTS winner
4) Well financed opposition
(Response F)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
(a) High launch costs, (b) long zero revenue, zero cash flow periods during construction, launch and in-orbit check out phases hurt investor returns and require very patient investors, and (c) investors face same commercial and competitive risks as terrestrial companies in addition to unique and sometimes uninsurable space risks, additional regulations plus frequent direct competition from the government. (Response G)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
The government does not express its requirements as a customer, but rather as a system integrator. (Response H)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
Export Compliance parameters, the U.S. policy to “Buy American,” licensing policies of the State Dept. The Space Industry is not a cottage industry in the U.S. – it is worldwide and we need to play on the global field with equal policies, incentives and support – other countries are moving ahead and cooperating on projects because they are not limited by these restrictions and they will, as a result, grow well beyond American potential. (Response I)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
Commercial space barriers (e.g, very high cost of entry, technology risks, political risks if dependent on government, very long investment timelines, etc. )are very substantial and differ greatly from current terrestrial markets making financing of projects extremely difficult. Traditional investment sources largely will not touch commercial space given the barriers involved. Commercial space has the basic ‘chicken-egg’ issue, i.e., need customers out in space to encourage commercial space goods/services to develop but few/in any existing space customers given not commercial space goods/services. Bigelow’s efforts are one attempt at providing a destination in space that could create support goods/services development and lead to other commercial space applications that are synergistic with such efforts. (Response J)
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
Environmental review process stifles the development of new non federal ranges. It is also an impediment to the permitting and licensing processes. FAA AST should have some discretionary powers to negate the necessity of environmental review for small vehicles. (Response K)