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Overview of the SpaceX Starship

SpaceX Starship serves as a fully reusable spacecraft designed and developed by SpaceX, the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company. Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX seeks to revolutionize space travel and make it more cost-effective. The Starship project plays a central role in this vision. The spacecraft is intended to carry both crew and cargo to destinations such as the Moon, Mars, and potentially beyond.

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Report: Indian Space Program and its Drivers: Possible Implications for the Global Space Market (ESGI 2022)

The report discusses the Indian space program’s history, drivers, and its impact on the global space market. The Indian space program is one of the oldest in the world and has played a critical role in India’s national development and external power projection capability. The program is known for its low-cost launches and has sent missions to the Moon and Mars. The paper identifies three main drivers for India’s space program: nationalism, entrepreneurship, and national security.

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Legislation: Bill Introduced to Extend Learning Period for Commercial Human Space Flight to 2031 (2023)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy recently introduced legislation called the Space Transformation And Reliability (STAR) Act, which would extend the regulatory “learning period” for commercial spaceflight safety to 2031.

Report: Time to Designate Space Systems as Critical Infrastructure (CSC 2.0 2023)

The report highlights the increasing importance of space systems for national security and economic prosperity. The authors argue that the current approach to safeguarding space systems is insufficient and recommend designating space systems as a critical infrastructure sector. This would lead to a more coherent whole-of-government approach to strategy, policy, programs, and resources, as well as signal to actors inside and outside of the government that space security and resilience is a top priority.

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What Does the Phrase “Commercialization of Space” Mean?

The phrase “commercialization of space” refers to the involvement of private enterprises in the development, launch, and exploitation of space-related technologies and services. Traditionally, space exploration and activities were primarily the domain of government agencies such as NASA in the United States, Roscosmos in Russia, and the European Space Agency in Europe. These organizations undertook missions that were funded by taxpayer money and were generally focused on scientific research, national security, and technological innovation. However, the landscape has changed significantly in recent years with the entry of private companies into the sector.