Commercializing low-Earth orbit and the role of the International Space Station

Abstract

With the extension of the International Space Station (ISS) operations until at least 2024, NASA and its partners have the opportunity to leverage the orbiting laboratory to conduct research and validate systems in microgravity that will better prepare humans and systems for future missions, farther into deep space. Beyond 2024, it is vitally important to ensure that the infrastructure and capabilities that have been developed over the past three decades in low Earth orbit (LEO) do not languish, and in fact are used to enable sustainable commercial activity in LEO beyond the ISS. This paper will explore the opportunities and challenges in developing the commercial market in LEO through the ISS program while at the same time continuing to use the ISS as a testbed to enable human missions into deep space. System and technology capability gaps requiring demonstrations on the ISS will be discussed in detail. NASA's strategic plan for leveraging the ISS to enable commercial markets and stimulate commercial supply of LEO services will be summarized, along with initial steps and progress. The intersection between NASA's needs beyond LEO and commercial LEO platforms will be explored. Finally, the paper will discuss preliminary measures that will indicate when a transition from ISS to the Proving Ground is appropriate.