ABSTRACT
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 251 Origins and Arthur C. Clarke ................................................................................. 252 Communications .................................................................................................... 252 Navigation ..............................................................................................................254 Imagery ..................................................................................................................256 Spacelift ................................................................................................................. 258 Conclusion: Current Trends ...................................................................................260 References .............................................................................................................. 261
During the more than 60 years of commercial space development, the primary markets have been in communication, navigation, imagery, and spacelift. Interest in emerging markets, such as space tourism, has increased, though to date this market remains one that encompasses a low-volume, high-cost segment of the commercial market. This chapter focuses on each of these functional areas in turn, including the origin and development of the business enterprise that characterizes the commercial space aspects of each function. It should be noted that a more in-depth consideration of commercial space enterprises must account for the incidental and indirect market interactions that leverage space systems. For example, consider global nancial transactions, such as credit cards, which rely on space systems for timely, broadly distributed transactions; although they are not a direct space system, the impact of space communications on nancial markets illustrates the indirect contributions of commercial space to a critical aspect of the world economy. Another illustration of commercial space on broader markets is the manner in which space technology development can drive terrestrial technologies-either directly through dual-use technology, such as robust integrated circuit developments, or indirectly, through the development of a highly capable, technical, and experienced workforce.
