Policy Challenges of the Emerging Commercial Habitat Market

With the planned decommissioning of the International Space Station by the end of the decade, NASA is taking steps to ensure continuity of critical LEO microgravity research with the help of the private sector. NASA’s Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program to seed human activity in LEO to commercial partners raises significant policy issues from export, liability, registration, arbitration, and other international issues. The intergovernmental agreement that governed the ISS operations will no longer apply. We need a governing regime for commercial space habitats that is not restrictive but will give customers and investors a level of confidence in the rules of engagement. This panel will include some of the key participants in the CLD program to give their insights on the potential for the emerging commercial space habitat market and the policy challenges they feel will have to be addressed.

Agenda:

One on One discussion – a CLD Overview:

Phil McAlister, Director, Commercial Spaceflight, NASA

Panelist:

• Moderator: Steven Wolfe, President & Co-Founder, Beyond Earth Institute
• Phil McAlister, Director, Commercial Spaceflight, NASA
• Erika Wagner, Senior Director for Emerging Space Markets, Blue Origin
• Adrian Mangiuca, Vice President of Infrastructure, Voyager Space
• Alex MacDonald, Chief Economist, NASA
• Tejpaul Bhatia, Chief Revenue Officer, Axiom Space