International Space Station commercialization study

In 1996 the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies a study on commercializing the International Space Station (ISS). The work was principally funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Institute collected and analyzed publications and sought extensive counsel across industry and government. Beginning with our panel, chaired by Mr. James Beggs, a former Administrator of NASA, we interviewed over 200 people, representing approximately 50 companies, universities, and government agencies. We also conducted 12 case studies to look at the potential utilization of piloted space flights in Earth orbit. The study suggests that commercialization of human orbital space flights could yield considerable benefits. Although there are some plausible commercial space-based ventures, we found no corporations that could access space without government help. The amount of help needed from NASA is considerable; we found that successful ISS commercialization demanded a broader context than the station itself, involving space access and other orbital resources. In the face of this, we found that NASA had articulated considerable support for commercialization, but had failed to commit the attention and resources needed to make it happen.