The Future of United States - Chinese Space Relations
In recent years the U.S. space program has been in decline, mostly due to budget cuts. Because of those reductions, NASA is struggling to fund its space exploration programs. One solution to this problem is to collaborate with other space agencies to share the cost and the knowledge gained. The Chinese have recently put a lot of effort into becoming a global space power and are willing to collaborate with other agencies in their space exploration efforts. The United States, however, is very reluctant to enter into any type of collaborative effort with the Chinese for a host of reasons. In order to gain greater insight into this issue, a survey will be conducted using the following three control groups: 1) individuals affiliated with the U.S. space program and related agencies, 2) individuals affiliated with the U.S. military and related security agencies, and 3) individuals not affiliated with either group previously mentioned. It is believed that these three groups will give a good indication of the general feelings of the United States population towards cooperating with the Chinese in spaceflight and what obstacles need to be overcome. The central research questions will focus on whether the participants believe the United States should collaborate with the Chinese, what they believe are the main objectives of the Chinese space program, and what issues need to be addressed before collaboration is possible. The author predicts that the individuals affiliated with the space program and those of the military will be diametrically opposed to one another while most of the general public will support collaboration.
A brief analysis of US space employment
Abstract Space policy is an area of industrial economic policy. The space economy would vanish without the active role of the state. Although space may appear exotic to economist, it is not impossible to provide a quick economic insight into one of the most important aspects of all economic activities - the people employed. The space industry can attract employees from other industries in two ways. First, according to individual preferences and motivations. Second, on the basis of higher wages. Statistical evidence suggests the latter is more common. Moreover wages do not reflect productivity. NASA employees earn much more than employees in law or medicine. This does not match the social importance of these activities. Space employs many more people that stated by the OECD. Taking all activities together space employs almost half a million people in the USA. $1 billion given to NASA creates up to 24 000 vacancies in the space industry and also provides room for another 40 000 in the space economy in the long run. Current changes to the US national space programme suggest a decrease of $1.6 billion per year, implying a loss of up to 39 000 jobs.
The cost of reaching orbit: Ground-based launch systems
Abstract The high cost of launching payloads into orbit – roughly $20,000/kg – continues to deter large-scale exploration and exploitation of space. Ground-based launch systems may radically reduce costs to $200/kg, drastically altering the economics of spaceflight. Low costs will encourage the creation of new markets, including solar-based power satellites and disposal of nuclear waste. The US government should establish a goal of $200/kg by 2020 and provide the resources needed to develop such systems.