A new marketplace in space: The International Space Station

Commercialising the European segment of the International Space Station means creating conditions that attract private entities willing to do business in the near-Earth environment. The commercialisation of the Station is based on the assumption that there is a market for low-orbiting manned infrastructures. This market is driven by customer demand and covers a wide range of applications, encompassing commercially applied research, technology development and innovative activities linked with the image of space. The commercialisation process touches upon virtually all of the facets of ESA's day-to-day business: the evaluation and selection of projects, the legal environment, the exploitation of human and technical resources, and the corporate image. This article discusses the potential markets for the Station, the potential customers, why they might want to be in space and what they need from the Agency in order to get there. It also outlines ESA's strategy for making the Space Station a new marketplace in space.