Overview
- Provides unique coverage of the historical evolution of the commercial space industry
- Combines wide-ranging essays from a diverse group of scholars and subject matter experts
- Incorporates historical lessons learned from civil and military space
Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology (PSHST)
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Keywords
- US Military Space
- Elon Musk
- spacex
- jeff bezos
- blue origin
About this book
This collection explores the evolution of the commercial space industry from the beginning of the space age through the early twenty-first century. Today, the space industry is taking on an increased leadership and innovation role in both space access and exploration. The growth of commercial space over the past decades offers a potential new paradigm for space exploration – one in which industry transitions from supplier to partner. However, many questions remain. This book seeks to bring to light these questions, which span from the most seemingly consequential: how will humanity explore the Moon and Mars? - to the most basic: what is commercial space?
To further develop the historical context of commercial space, and thereby better inform decision-making at NASA in the future, this volume examines a broad range of questions related to the history of commercial space operations, including but not limited to: how has the concept of ‘commercial space’ evolved in different fields and disciplines? What have been the major events and milestones in the emergence and evolution of commercial space activities in the USA and internationally? How has the US Government assisted or impeded the emergence and evolution of commercial space activities? Providing contributions from a range of different disciplines and backgrounds, the authors of this volume offer valuable insights for scholars researching the history of space and space policy, as well as decision-makers working at NASA or within the wider space industry.
Editors and Affiliations
About the editor
Brian C. Odom is the Chief Historian at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where he leads the program responsible for capturing, preserving, and disseminating the agency’s history. Based in the USA, he is co-editor of NASA and the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement (2019) which was awarded the 2019 Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and NASA and the American South (2024).
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry
Book Subtitle: Early Space Age to the Present
Editors: Brian C. Odom
Series Title: Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: History, History (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-63409-3Due: 26 June 2024
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-63412-3Due: 26 June 2024
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-63410-9Due: 26 June 2024
Series ISSN: 2730-972X
Series E-ISSN: 2730-9738
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: X, 204
Number of Illustrations: 4 b/w illustrations, 4 illustrations in colour