Recommended Reading

Here you can find a list of intellectual resources concerning commercial launch costs, the regulatory environment, insurance, range fees, property rights, and many other issues (some controversial) concerning the challenges of commercial space access and the eventual creation of a New Space Economy.

At the left, the "Viewpoints" button links to the latest op-ed piece submitted by someone in the alt.space community. The "Archives" button takes you to all the past op-ed articles published on this site.

Business and Economics

"When Physics, Economics and Reality Collide: The Challenge of Cheap Space Access", by Jurist, Dinkin and Livingston
(first presented April, 2005)
Download a PDF of this paper

Regulatory Issues

"So You Want to Launch a Rocket?", by Nathanael Horsley
An Analysis of FAA Licensing Requirements with a Focus on the Legal and Regulatory Issues Created by the New Generation of Launch Vehicles

(As this paper is a very comprehensive study, it is currently only available as a PDF at this time. The link above will only take you to the Table of Contents and the Introduction.)

Property Rights and Treaties

"United Nations treaties and principles on outer space"
Published for the Third UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III). This is a good comprehensive guide to all international legal agreements and treaties in force, to date, regarding the uses of space.

(This paper is currently only available as a PDF at this time. The link above will only take you to the Table of Contents and the Introduction.)

Original Materials written for this website by Tom Olson and Paul Contursi

Can the U.S. "go it alone" to the Moon, Mars, and Beyond?

Pitfalls of "Government Funding as Usual"

Exploring Mars for Fun...and Profit

Policy: Where do we go First?

Original Materials written for this website by other contributors

"What are the Nation's Perceptions of NASA" - by Janet Osimo