NewSpace

NewSpace is the name given to new entrepreneural human spaceflight development activities.

2005 test of Armadillo Aerospace vehicle,courtesy Armadillo Aerospace.

Shared Characteristics

To be considered NewSpace an effort should have such characteristics as these:

• Mankind into space (probes are nice but space is for humans)
• Innovation (new technologies, "outside the box" thinking)
• Low cost objectives (the key is affordability, off the shelf)
• Consumer driven focus (marketplace)
• Spaceflight operations (large number of flights)
• Small development teams (maintain tight structure)
• Additive approach (develope some, test some, learn some)

Difference from Conventional

The primary differences between conventional space activities and NewSpace activities are private entrepreneural effort and unconventional development approaches. The advocates of NewSpace celebrate its entrepreneurial spirit, which they contrast with more bureaucratic, state-run space activities, characterized by NASA and ESA.

Examples

Specific examples of NewSpace activities are:

• Space Tourism
• The X Prize - a contest for sub-orbital flight
• SpaceShipOne - the first private sub-orbital spaceship
• Virgin Galactic - space tourism activities
• Falcon 1 - by SpaceX hopes to be the first privately funded first rocket to reach orbit
• Rocket Racing League

See Also

• List of Space Advocate Organizations
• Centennial Challenges
• Armadillo Aerospace
• Bigelow Aerospace
• SpaceX