1. What statement best describes your interest in space? Please mark (or highlite with red font) all that apply to you
a. Supplier of space launch services or hardware/software
b. Supplier of ground processing or support services or hardware
c. Supplier of space based assets or services
d. Buyer/user of space services (e.g., biotech, material science, earth science)
e. Financier (Angel, VC, investment banking, etc.)
f. Media/entertainment representative
g. Other
2. Do you know about the NASA COTS program? (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services)
a. No or not much (if no skip to #7)
b. Have heard about it
c. Some knowledge
d. Very familiar
3. Did you or your organization apply for a NASA COTS award?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Do you think NASA should offer other COTS type programs?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Don’t know
5. Do you have any ideas for future NASA COTS type programs? If yes please briefly describe.
Commercialize the ISS.
Separate operating functions from marketing functions. Operating functions could be spun out under a fixed price contract to the winning bidder from known companies such as LMC, Boeing, General Dynamics, etc.
Marketing license (inc. Brand Mgmt.) of US ISS (and other country owners) could be awarded to highest bidder under a multi year contract. Business model would be similar to COMSAT/Intelsat. Net effect would be to remove a large portion of costs from NASA, ESA, JAXA, etc., budgets, and allow a commercial business to evolve. Major applications would probably involve moving electrons (mew media such as Google, Yahoo/Softbank, and Disney) rather than atoms!
6. Do you think the NASA COTS program could be improved? If so how?
Let’s see if current approach works.
7. What do you see as the biggest barrier/obstacle to commercial space?
NASA. Is biggest barrier! Organization has an understandable and predictable reaction to regard most external initiatives as competitive. NASA is not a commercial organization, and is therefore unable to exploit commercial opportunities. This is an over simplification, but for the sake of brevity is correct.
8. What do you think is the most important thing that NASA could do to support and promote commercial space?
Act as a fly wheel for proof of concept, and then get out of the way.
9 Any other comments or suggestions regarding commercial space?
NASA should facilitate US enterprises wishing to enter space ventures, analogous to the US Dept. of Commerce. Current US industry perception is that NASA is part of the problem (to commercialization) - rather than part of the solution.
10. Name and contact information for follow-up (optional):
Name: Stephen M. D. DAY
Organization: CEO, International Ventures Associates, LTD