Emerging Space Markets: Privatizing the Business Model

Sponsored by Springer Nature

Recorded on 08/11/2021
Posted in The Authority File

Episode 212

In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?

In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”

About the guest:

Dr. Stella Tkatchova
Author and Project Manager
European Space Industry

Dr. Stella Tkatchova is a project manager in the European Space Industry. She writes books and articles about the importance of commercialization of space technologies and solutions. She previously worked as project manager for Thales Alenia Space and managed long-term research innovation projects for the European Commission (EC). In the early days of her career she worked as a contractor at the European Space Agency (ESA). She was awarded a PhD by the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at TU-Delft on commercialization of space technology and also holds a Master of Space Science degree, from International Space University (ISU). Several years ago she founded and was the editor of the International Journal of Space Technology Management & Innovation (IJSTMI).

Enjoy the conversation? Listen to the rest of the series:

• Unpacking Space Commercialization
• Today’s Major Players and Investments
• Looking at Space Debris and the Latest Trends

Check out our previous series with Springer Nature: Understanding and Implementing Cybersecurity with Alan Brill.

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