Public-private partnerships in transportation: lessons learned for the new space era

Abstract

Entrepreneurial firms in the space sector have accomplished unimaginable feats unheard of just 20 years ago, such as reusable rockets and cargo launches to the International Space Station (ISS). Clearly, the private sector will continue to be a significant participant in the future of the space industry, partnering with governments and nations, to accomplish more with less. Likewise, the public sector must cope with decreased funding and worthy space objectives while balancing cost, risk, and return. Partnering with private enterprise is the best solution to meeting mandated objectives in space program advancement. This paper addresses partnerships in real property assets from the lens of the public sector, particularly with respect to spaceports. Data were collected on public-private partnerships (PPPs) and public-public partnerships (PuPs) in regulated transportation industries from years 1985 through 2014. As these arrangements were analysed, clear themes emerged that have implications for the new space environment.