Gerald W. Driggers, aerospace engineering and principal investigator on Part 2 of the study. Dr. Ralph Sklarew, systems planning, environmental assessment, and principal investigator on Part 1 of the study. Robert Salkeld, systems planning and analysis. Dr. J. Peter Vajk, world dynamics and impact assessments. G. Harry Stine, industrial engineering and marketing. no ties to the aerospace industry or NASA. We had no ax to and engineering levels to provide us with feedback and industrial reaction to our work. Following initial considerations of technology requirements, potential products and services, capital requirements, market surveys, and cash flow requirements, it was patently obvious that the total picture of the industrialization of space was not only a highly probably future, but also a very expensive one. But, the revenue potentials also appeared to be very large. Could the federal government do the job? Historically, it has not been the government's role to engage in activities that would normally attract business investment, production, and marketing. Could private enterprise do it? It has rarely been the role of domestic industry to pioneer in new product or service areas involving high risk, large capital requirements, lack of hard data on which to make the early business decisions, and long-term returns on investment. It is my own belief, shared by most members of the SAI study team, that both government and domestic industry have definite historic roles to play in a situation such as this and that both parties will probably fulfil these roles. After all, it is what they have each proven they can do best. Historically -- and there are many examples of this both ancient and recent the role of a government in this situation is that of the explorer capable of taking the high - risks and expending the large amounts of capital required, This is known as a positive feedback system. It may not The study team discovered that it had to get right to the core of the space industrialization concept: Based on certain assumptions, what would be profitable, what would have a market, how big would the market likely be, what would the capitalization requirements be, what would the revenues be, and when could one expect a return on investment? What part of space industrialization could pay for itself first? What information, data, technology, and systems elements were lacking to make this happen? In short, - where should the United States In some cases, it was difficult to assess a potential market because of the uniqueness of the product or service. Therefore, analogous markets were used with the full realization that these might exhibit a less than one-to-one relationship. Sources such as Predicasts and U.S. Department of Commerce - data were used to provide basic data on existing markets, projected markets, rates, and gross sales volumes. Expert opinion was solicited in various specialized marketplaces. The methodology used was classical, straightforward, and almost textbook in nature. Attempts were made to assess both the best case and the worst case. Basic data points in time were established at 1990 and 2010. A relatively "surprise-free" future was assumed 1.e.: no general war, no collapse of the debt or capital structure, no exaggerated trends or changes in political, societal, economic, technological, environmental, or military areas. It must be noted that such "surprise-free" futures have historically been far wide of the mark and highly conservative, but they are the only basis upon which long-range forecasting and planning can be carried out. Surprises must therefore be expected. But with good |