GLOBAL SPACELIFT

Many explanations may be offered for declining spacelift trends as measured by the one metric (tonnage per year) that would be used in any other transportation industry such as airlines or ocean going shipping. Among these are the decline in government expenditures in space. Nonetheless the commercial sector also shows stagnation or decline, and the trend for this metric is downward not just domestically but globally. It is clear that dramatically new approaches are required to the design, technology and systems that have served global spacelift to date if space is to be accessible, routine, and affordable - sooner rather than later.

For further information contact Carey McCleskey, (carey.mccleskey-1@ksc.nasa.gov) Kennedy Space Center, Spaceport Technology Development Office.

Return to KSC Next Gen Site

Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center

Spaceport Technology Development Office