Commercializing low-Earth orbit
<ul><li>An exciting new commercial pathway is revolutionizing and opening access to space, fostering America’s new space economy in low-Earth orbit. For the first time, the market is expressing what research can and should be done aboard the microgravity laboratory without direct government funding. A significant portion of the commercial research taking place aboard the station is made possible by NanoRacks hardware. The company has invested privately and raised capital to provide laboratory facilities for small payloads, including CubeSats deployed from the space station, that make research faster and more affordable. NASA’s move to purchase commercial cargo resupply and crew transportation to the space station enables U.S. businesses to develop a competitive capability they also can sell as a service to others while freeing NASA resources for deep space exploration. Private sector participation provides a new model for moving forward in partnership with the government.</li></ul>
NASA
2015-10-30
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/15_ways_iss_benefits_earth">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/15_ways_iss_benefits_earth</a>