Author: Dirk C. Gibson

Commercial Space Tourism: Impediments to Industrial Development and Strategic Communication Solutions

eBook: US $24 Special Offer (PDF + Printed Copy): US $155
Printed Copy: US $143
Library License: US $96
ISBN: 978-1-60805-430-5 (Print)
ISBN: 978-1-60805-239-4 (Online)
Year of Publication: 2012
DOI: 10.2174/97816080523941120101

Introduction

The general themes of this analysis of the commercial space tourism industry include three main topics; 1) Benefits of commercial space tourism to numerous stakeholders, 2) The viability of commercial space tourism 3) existing public relations solutions for virtually all impediments to commercial space tourism.

Initially, development of a viable commercial space tourism industry would provide substantial economic benefits. A second factor is that the primary impediments to commercial space tourism industrial development are amenable to public relations solutions.

For space industrial development to be successful, it will take a delicate balance of satisfying state, local and federal policy makers. Many federal regulatory agencies are involved that have jurisdiction over commercial space. Economic policy is also a factor as the public and politicians deal with resource allocation issues. The public will expect commercial space and tourism to create economic growth and jobs as well. A book addressing these issues and offering solutions to these topics in space tourism and policy will be unique to the industry.

This e-book is a useful guide for readers who are personally and/or professionally interested in commercial space tourism and related commercial space ventures, and those interested in astronautics, space development and similar public policy issues in general. Readers also interested in aeronautics, as well as regulatory agencies and legislatures will also benefit from this e-book.

Preface

This eBook explores the benefits of a commercial space tourism industry and describes the contemporary state of development in 2012. In addition, the impediments to space tourism enterprise are identified and documented. My central purpose is to describe strategic communication solutions to space tourism industrial impediments through consideration of salient strategic communication functions and tactics.

The initial chapter discusses the potential benefits of a space tourism industry. In the second chapter the case is made that contemporary space tourism efforts should be considered as significant, while the third chapter presents the contrary position, that commercial space tourism is currently insignificant. The contradictory cases and factual basis for both chapters are presented to document the complexity and equivocal nature of current space tourism activity, as well as future industrial uncertainty.

The impediments and obstacles to development of commercial space tourism are the subject of the second section of this eBook. Chapter four quantifies primary impediments to space tourism such as investment insufficiency and space dangers. Secondary obstacles include legal issues and insurance and are presented in chapter five.

The third part of the eBook discusses the purposes behind space tourism strategic communication. The sixth chapter notes that space tourism enterprises may not develop, and suggests strategic communication solutions. Primary strategic communication functions or purposes are discussed in chapter seven and chapter eight covers the secondary functions. These communication functions address the obstacles to commercial space tourism industrial development.

Tactics, the focus of the final part of this work, are the building-blocks of strategic communication. The most typical space tourism strategic communication tactics like partnerships and media releases are the subject of chapter nine with the midincidence tactics explored in the ninth chapter. The occasional and atypical tactics are quantified in chapter ten, where the tactics are also categorized by channel variables.

It should be noted that a very recent development might dramatically alter the commercial space tourism status quo. In late May of 2012 a commercial space firm named SpaceX successfully replenished the ISS, under a $1.6 billion contract with NASA. The Dragon capsule may alter the previous reality of commercial space access.

Dirk C. Gibson
University of New Mexico
Member of National Space Society
Department of Communication & Journalism
USA

E-mail: dirkcgib@unm.edu

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