Synopsis
The report titled “Models for Facilitating Government-Funded Activities in the Post-ISS LEO Ecosystem” is a comprehensive study conducted by NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy. The study was initiated in response to a directive from the National Space Council in September 2022, which asked NASA to develop a plan for the next generation of microgravity research, including considerations for establishing robust international partner pathways.
The study explores various models for future operations in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ecosystem after the International Space Station (ISS) era. It aims to identify potential models to facilitate government-funded or subsidized activities in a National Lab on a commercial LEO. The goal is to develop a comprehensive strategy that not only maintains but enhances the current capabilities of U.S. government research and technology development in LEO, thereby continuing to improve life on Earth.
The document is structured into several sections, including an introduction, background, objectives, key terms, methods, model development, stakeholder-driven analysis, model evaluation criteria, and scenario-driven analysis. It also includes a section on the near-term impact of these models and a conclusion.
The study also discusses the transition from the ISS to Commercial LEO Destinations (CLDs), which necessitates a transformation from a government-owned platform to commercially-owned where the government will purchase services. The study outlines the definition of roles and relationships, pathways for international cooperation, proposed changes to NASA’s national lab authorization legislation, and the development of a transition strategy to ensure continuity between the ISS and the post-ISS era.
The document also includes a detailed analysis of different growth scenarios, including dynamic growth, steady growth, and limited growth, for different models such as Anchor Tenant, Government Research Broker, and Innovation Campus.
