Location
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel
Start Date
29-4-1998 8:00 AM
Description
I have been involved with the commercial expendable launch vehicle business from the very beginning to the present. In reviewing the ups and downs over the past quarter century, I am struck by how much influence that U.S. policy makers have had on the course and fate of this private business. Let me lead you through it.
For the first 20 years of the space program, all those of the free world who wished to place a payload into space had to request launch services from NASA. The first commercial satellite was the ATT Telstar in 1962. From then until about 1982 any country or company who wished to place a satellite into orbit was forced to use a Delta, Atlas or Titan launch vehicle whose design, production, operations, schedule and price were controlled by NASA. NASA had monopalistic control over the entire free worldÕs access to space. This resulted in occasional controversies with customers, particularly over price and schedule. There were even complaints about NASA arrogance on occasion. (As a NASA man at that time, I donÕt remember that part.)
Paper Session II-A - The History, Present Status and Forecast of the Commercial ELV Industry
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel
I have been involved with the commercial expendable launch vehicle business from the very beginning to the present. In reviewing the ups and downs over the past quarter century, I am struck by how much influence that U.S. policy makers have had on the course and fate of this private business. Let me lead you through it.
For the first 20 years of the space program, all those of the free world who wished to place a payload into space had to request launch services from NASA. The first commercial satellite was the ATT Telstar in 1962. From then until about 1982 any country or company who wished to place a satellite into orbit was forced to use a Delta, Atlas or Titan launch vehicle whose design, production, operations, schedule and price were controlled by NASA. NASA had monopalistic control over the entire free worldÕs access to space. This resulted in occasional controversies with customers, particularly over price and schedule. There were even complaints about NASA arrogance on occasion. (As a NASA man at that time, I donÕt remember that part.)
Comments
Session Chairman: Jean-Michel Desobeau, Director of Engineering, Arianespace, Inc.
Session Organizer: Craig McAlister