This document summarizes a panel discussion on developing markets in low Earth orbit. The panel included representatives from Sierra Nevada Corporation, Kentucky Space, Planet Labs, Alpha Space, and Blue Origin. They discussed current and potential commercial activities and markets in LEO, including materials testing on the International Space Station, Earth observation from small satellites, and plans for commercial suborbital and orbital transportation systems.
Markets in Motion: Developing Markets in Low Earth Orbit
1. Markets in Motion: Developing
Markets in Low Earth Orbit
• JOHN OLSON, VICE PRESIDENT, SIERRA NEVADA
CORPORATION (MODERATOR)
• KRIS KIMEL, PRESIDENT, KENTUCKY SPACE
• MIKE SAFYAN, DIRECTOR OF LAUNCH AND
REGULATORY AFFAIRS, PLANET LABS
• STEPHANIE MURPHY, PRESIDENT, ALPHA SPACE
TEST AND RESEARCH ALLIANCE
• ERIKA WAGNER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER, BLUE ORIGIN
SPEAKERS:
2. San Diego, CA Day 1 (July 12) 9:45-11:00am
Markets in Motion: Developing Markets in LEO
Panel Chair:
John Olson, SNC
Participants:
Kris Kimel, Kentucky Space
Mike Safyan, PlanetLabs
Stephanie Murphy, Alpha Space
Erika Wagner, Blue Origin
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3. The International Space Station: Cornerstone of Exploration,
Innovation & Cooperation…also a Commercial Concept Launchpad
LEO Commercialization: Launching Towards Sustainability via Real
LEO Commercial Markets, Products, Services & Capabilities
Markets in Motion
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6. Support for Exploration Programs:
Stepping Stones to the Future
… Including Missions of Exploration to Asteroids, the Moon and Mars
Missions: Applied Research, Technology Development,
In-Space Manufacturing, On-Orbit Assembly and Test
LEO and Beyond LEO Evolution Synergy
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27. Who is Alpha Space?
• Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance (Alpha Space) owns and will
operate the first commercial facility at the ISS known as the Materials
International Space Station Experiment (MISSE)
• Alpha Space was formed using a business model to support the
commercialization of Low Earth Orbit
• Materials Science Testing at the ISS gives researchers unprecedented
insight to experiments
• Benefits space programs and on-earth applications
28. The Opportunity
• Materials Science Testing in Space has been done by NASA since the
Apollo Era
– Engineers tested Sputnik, Satellites,
Apollo 12 – Surveyor 3 lander, MEEP
– 8 Previous MISSE Missions
4,000 samples from 2001-2013
– NASA utilized X-37B Spaceplane
• NASA provided an opportunity to commercialize Materials Testing
in Space and created an emerging market
29. Market Attractiveness
• NASA and Government agencies have made a tremendous investment
in the development and sustainment of the International Space
Station
• Investors and entrepreneurs are drawn to this new market
• Because the infrastructure exists, the Alpha Space business model
allows us to open access to space for a much smaller incremental cost
than historical materials science missions
30. The Benefits
• Through our Cooperative Agreement with NASA, for the first time,
access to testing in space is not limited to a NASA or Government
Agency experiment
• Alpha Space offers commercial access to any private entity or person,
as well as Government Agencies
• Condensed and focused schedule for integration – Alpha Space
provides Turn-Key services
• NASA benefits from enhancements derived though private
investment
• Competition drives innovative cost solutions
33. Materials Testing Environment
• MISSE is fixed to the exterior of the ISS
• Experiments endure extreme levels of:
– atomic oxygen
– Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
– ionizing radiation
– ultrahigh vacuum (UHV)
– charged particles
– thermal cycles
– electromagnetic radiation
– micrometeoroids
• All with little-to-no contamination
• MISSE yields accelerated and accurate testing results for experiments varying
from space suits and flight hardware to car paint and electronics
35. Enhanced Services
• Contamination Protection (Closure during contamination-contributing
events and going to and from space)
• Temperature Data
• Solar Angle Data for Zenith (deep space facing) carriers
• Contamination Monitoring
• Orbital Parameters (ISS location
around the Earth)
• ISS orientation in its orbit
• Monthly Photographs
• UV Sensor
36. New Options- Services
• Telescience Resource Kit (TReK)
• Data and Power Connections
• Ground Services – Gas Purge, Storage
• Sensor suite- Atomic Oxygen, Radiation, Contamination, Solar
37. Benefits of Materials Testing
in Space
• Product discriminator (Space Tested)
• Affordable
• Accelerate corrosion processes utilizing Space Environment for
expedited results
• Almost impossible to duplicate all aspects of the space environment at
the same time on the ground
– Combined action of atomic oxygen, thermal cycling, radiation,
ultrahigh vacuum unique to Space
• Atomic oxygen corrosion - Found in Space but not typically found on
the earth
• Long duration simulated Space environment would be expensive on
the ground and could exceed the cost of actual Space environment
testing
38. Next Steps
• Through our privately-owned MISSE Facility, you can send your
sample/experiment/payload to the ISS
• Evaluate the performance, stability, and long-term survivability of
materials and components
• We are scheduled to launch the facility and a series of experiments
in September 2017 on SpaceX 13
• Currently accepting commercial clients
40. BLUE ORIGIN OVERVIEW
Blue Origin has a long-term vision of increasing the
number of people that can fly to space
Founded by Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of
Amazon.com
Significant private investment to date
600+ employees
• Kent, WA – design, fab and assembly
• Van Horn, TX – engine and suborbital flight test
• Cape Canaveral, FL – orbital launch site
Liquid rocket engine development
• BE-3 hydrogen engine – 110,000-lbf thrust
• BE-4 LNG engine – 550,000-lbf thrust
Suborbital New Shepard vehicle
• First to land vertically from space – Nov. 2015
• First to reuse booster – Jan. 2016 & Apr. 2016
Orbital vehicle planned for later this decade
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41. INCREMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
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Blue’s incremental development plan includes:
• Reusable systems to increase reliability and lower
operating costs
• Vertical landing for recovery and reuse
• Suborbital demonstration of technologies for orbital
flight
New Shepard system in flight testing stage
• Propulsion Module
• Crew Capsule
• First Full System Test – Apr. 2015
• Launch & PM Landing – Nov. 2015, Jan. 2016,
Apr. 2016, June 2016
Orbital Transportation System
• First launch later this decade
• Reusable first stage with vertical landing
• Expendable upper stage
• Powered by Blue Origin BE-4 and BE-3U engines
• Launch from LC-36 in Florida
• Booster stage produced in Florida near launch
facility
Reusabl
e First
Stage
Expendable
Upper
Stage
Space
Vehicle
Orbital
Transportation
System
Suborbital
New Shepard
System
Crew
Capsule
Propulsio
n Module
42. HISTORIC ROCKET LANDING – NOV 23, 2015
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329,839 ft
(100.5 km)
Mach 3.7
Flawless BE-3
Performance
Clean Separation
Booster Landing
on Pad
Smooth Capsule
Touchdown
43. ASTRONAUT EXPERIENCE
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Capsule
Up to six astronauts
• Multiple capsule configurations
Largest windows in spaceflight history
Full-envelope escape system
Flight
11 min for complete flight
Flight over 100 km
Weightlessness for approximately 4 min
44. SUBORBITAL RESEARCH CAPABILITIES
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100 km apogee
~3 mins of milli-g accelerations
Blue Origin payload system or custom
Nominal access L-4 and R+4 hours
Sales and integration with NanoRacks
Initial Capabilities
Up to six astronauts and/or payload stacks
Access to large windows
Payload access L-30 mins and R+20 mins
Additional possibilities as demand grows:
• External mounting and deployment
• Science-quality window inserts
• Capsule replacement payloads
Future Capabilities
45. FIRST NEW SHEPARD PAYLOADS
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Joshua Colwell, UCF
Investigating regolith impacts
4 Single Payload Lockers
COLLIDE
Dan Durda, SwRI
Investigating settling of rocky soil on asteroids and
other low-g environments
1 Single Payload Locker
BORE (Box of Rocks Experiment)
46. SUBORBITAL AS A PIPELINE TO ORBIT
Perfect for new users, risk reduction, and fast iteration
• From concept to flight in weeks to months
• Lower cost
• Commercially friendly
• Fewer hardware constraints
• Frequent reflights available
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9 of 14 launches via ISS
Most frequent access to space
Launching lower altitude than most other satellite missions
1 year or less mission time – excellent example for space debris mitigation; only stay up as long as needed
Highlight opportunity to leverage private investment
Unlike in past EELV experience, not dependent on USG market to recoup investment
Blue developing engine for own purposes, so no funding risk for USG or ULA
Tested full system for first time April 29th
For all we were trying to achieve, this was a very successful flight
We attempted to recover the booster, but lost hydraulic pressure. Nobody has done this before and we learned a lot from the attempt.
We will be flying again by end of the year
This is a testament to the skill, enthusiasm, and dedication of Blue team members
Highlight: Flawless BE-3 performance and separation
This capsule was made with the astronaut in mind – both with respect to the experience and safety
Highlight: Largest windows in spaceflight history and full-envelope escape