More than 80 aerospace industry and policy
professionals kept stiff upper lips during a frank panel discussion of the
state of the future of commercial space transportation Tuesday night. The
forum was co-sponsored by Women in Aerospace, and the Society of Satellite
Professionals International.
After a brief celebration of the previous day’s successful launch of Boeing
Delta 4 and its military payload, the panel launched into its own views of a
challenging marketplace. Panelists included Clay Mowry, president,
Arianespace, Inc.; Janice Schnaars, vice president, Boeing Launch Services;
Jim Rymarcsuk, vice president of business development, International Launch
Services; Lt Col. Blaise Kordell, USAF, deputy chief, Space Launch and
Ranges, Directorate of Air and Space Operations; and Brett Alexander, senior
policy analyst, Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House.
“One of the key messages coming out of the panel was that the future of
commercial space transportation will be shaped by the government, especially
as related to U.S. national security needs and requirements,” said moderator
Carissa Christensen, managing partner of The Tauri Group. “None of the
panelists were optimistic about new commercial sources of demand in the next
few years.”
Mowry commented that launches are up, but not by enough, and added that
“Europe supports Arianespace.” Schnaars pointed out that launch capacity is
70 launches, but demand is only for 15. Alexander confirmed that the
discussion of the nation’s space policy revolves around defining and
achieving “assured” access to space-more than the “independent” access
nations have traditionally desired.
“All three launch providers represented on our panel have great products to
offer after upgrades and efforts to improve systems. It is frustrating that
they have to search for a market,” Christensen said.
Women in Aerospace (www.womeninaerospace.org) is a Washington, DC-based
nonprofit dedicated to expanding women’s opportunities for leadership and
increased visibility within the aerospace community. Any person who supports
WIA’s mission and goals is eligible for membership.
