Near- term efforts are critical to the commercialization success, and should establish the foundational working structure that will continue to support efforts in the medium and long terms.  The near-term strategy outlines what immediate actions KSC should concentrate on within the next five years.

•  Launch Activity – Market demand forecasts indicate there will not be a surge in launches in the next five years. During this time frame, KSC should plan for no new, unscheduled launches to occur and no changes in the pricing structure of the market. This level of launch activity supports a cautious marketing approach in the commercialization process.

• Satellites – Small / nano satellites and commercial remote sensing satellites are promising areas that may have fewer barriers to entry than larger payloads and launch vehicles. Customers in these sub markets, and ultimately the larger satellite market, fit well into KSC’s evolving commercialization plan. An added focus on accommodating emergency management applications may also reinforce the sustainable and socially aware brand at KSC.

• Supply Chain – The KSC goal is to host all elements of the spaceflight industry supply chain at the center, but the initial focus is on commodities storage/refinement, manufacture of light weight alloys to support assembly of spacecraft, and other ground support operation elements. The presence of these activities will help generate a regional innovation cluster to encourage virtual collaboration, advanced manufacturing, and shared infrastructure. Creating a self-sustained supply center for space launch materials, components, and commodities can provide substantial cost savings that can support the efforts of existing commercial operators, better attract future commercial endeavors, and, most important, provide savings to NASA through economies of scale for locally derived components and reduced cost responsibility for center overhead.

• Strategic Partnerships – Strategic partnerships with federal agencies and universities to promote environmental sustainability that includes space debris management, emergency management application, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education are socially aware areas of focus. This can add to KSC’s role as an anchor tenant in the central Florida high tech economic cluster, leverage its assets, and give back to the local, regional, and national community.

• Collaboration – Collaboration should extend beyond traditional technical, governmental, and institutional partners. The growing competition between localities for the infant commercial space industry necessitates the mobilization of local and state economic recruitment and development of capabilities to retain and grow the space industry in central Florida and at KSC. With a newly adopted Center Master Plan in hand, KSC can provide a more focused response to Economic Development Organization (EDO) efforts, while retaining the autonomy essential to fulfilling its space mission.

• Commercial Business Model – KSC is transitioning to a commercialization model of business positioning, operating, and asset management. By systematically aligning assets and capabilities to emerging market conditions and opportunities, KSC can successfully migrate into a new posture serving multiple customers while also retaining the flexibility to respond to the rapid evolution of the space industry.

 

Opportunities

Near-term actions that take advantage of non-NASA business development opportunities and/or leverage KSC’s position include the following:

• Understand and align with DoD Commercial Space Launch Cooperation efforts.
  
• Provide initial space tourism experiences, such as launch simulation.
  
• Target opportunities within NASA’s Strategic Space Technology Investment Plan for implementation at KSC and the surrounding area to encourage local economic development through the transfer of NASA technology.
  
• Seek partnership opportunities with state and local economic development organizations to maximize the market interest in KSC’s assets and strengthen the center’s involvement within the launch services supply chain.
  
• Push standards and commonality into the spaceflight industry to commoditize launches, promoting an airport-like transportation model or flight test model.
  
• Seek partnerships with small and nano-satellite operators, especially those with an emergency management focus.
  
• Seek opportunities to partner with clean energy businesses and expand solar panel use when possible.