A Market Based Approach to Commercializing the International Space Station Through the Creation of an ISS Development Corporation

摘要

Now that the International Space Station (ISS) is nearly completion, strategies for developing its potential as a commercial research facility are being explored. This paper proposes the creation of a public International Space Station Development Corporation (ISSDC) to manage the commercial development of the ISS. The creation of this for-profit corporation would provide a means of using private investment to complete the construction of the ISS while still retaining government control of the facility. More importantly, it would allow the member states of the ISS Agreement to retain control and ownership of the ISS while testing its potential to commercialization.