The Great Debate 2002

Our Great Debate at the 2000 Conferences was a Great Success. Many people attended the official settling of the longstanding argument between those who wish to go back to the Moon and those who wish to use our resources for Mars.

The debates follow the official format of the American Speech and Debate Society. This year's topic is as follows:

"Resolved, the most economically attractive case for in-situ
resource development is (a) The Moon
or (b) the (listed) Near Earth Object Asteroids:

1. (20 min.) 1st NEO Constructive:
   
2. (5 min.) Cross X by Moon Team
   
3. (20 min) 1st Moon Constructive:
   
4. (5 min.) Cross X by NEO Team
   
5. (20 min.) 2nd NEO Constructve
   
6. (5 min.) Cross X by Moon
   
7. (20 min) 2nd Moon Constructive
   
8. (5 min.) Cross X by NEO
   
9. (30 min.) Questions from the audience
   
10. (15 min.) Summary and closing from NEO
    
11. (15 min.) Summary and closing from Moon

 

Roundtable Discussion

SPACE ROUNDTABLE '02
Commercial Human Space Enterprises: Retrospect and Futurespect

The purpose of the Space 2002 Conference is the encouragement and stimulation of the required planning, constructive interaction, and development of needed technologies and expertise for the exploration of space. The Space Roundtable '02 is an effort of the Conference to bring together key individuals from the private and public sectors to focus on a particular aspect of the development of space, especially the commercial development of space. This year, the Roundtable is envisioned as a forum to spotlight an area that is deemed particularly important by the Conferences' new biennial State of Space assessment: "Commercial Human Space Enterprises: Retrospect and Futurespect." The primary objectives of the Roundtable include bringing together diverse communities, experiences, and opinions to stimulate, network, and proactively nurture the commercial development of human space flight.

The profile of human space enterprises continues to change. Many private organizations and activities are already in place and working toward this commercial development. Some of these entities have been in place for many years, others established only recently. Changes in the government sector are also apparent. The launch and space transportation industries are ever-increasingly evolving and competitive. Conflicts, barriers, strategies, planning, uncertainties, risks, policies, competition, cooperation, financing, marketing, politics--all are present in the chaotic and volatile space business development frontier.

In reviewing the last two years, signs of progress in the growth of space commerce are evident. Many factors and more-recent events can and will impact the future of human space enterprises:

• Ongoing space business development (e.g., space resources, communications, marketing, finance, tourism).
• Creation of climate to support private sector's efforts in the space industry market;
• Evolving government policies toward space markets, commercialization, and ways to create and nurture space commerce;
• Congressional actions and support for space business and entrepreneurs (e.g., in-space commercial transportation; Zero Gravity, Zero Tax Act; Invest in Space Now Act);
• Analysis on the future of the United States space industry;
• Experience and progress stimulated by prizes (e.g., X Prize, CATS);
• Strategic planning to address future space markets and the government roles in space market development;
• Government agency management and leadership changes (e.g., NASA Administrator, Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Flight, Director of the Johnson Space Center, and the Head of the Commercialization Office);
• Criteria for prospective space travelers (for private and for government enterprises);
• Technology and provisions for crew transportation and habitation (e.g., earth-based analogs, in-space hotels);
• Safety and vehicle human-rating;
• Future planning for the next decade of human and robotic exploration of the solar system;
  
• Astronaut corps vs. commercial flight personnel: flight requirements, training, qualification, standards, and regulations;

The nature of these and other factors and events and their impacts on the future of commercial human space flight are topics for discussion at Space Roundtable '02:

in Retrospect: perspectives and assessments of what has been done, what is working, what is not working, and what progress has been made toward commercial human enterprises in space; and

in Futurespect: visions, goals, and recommendations for further growth of commercial human space enterprises.

Watch this site for updates on Roundtable '02. We'd love to hear from you. Please send your comments to us at conf@asce.org

Co-chairs of the Space Roundtable '02 are Jeri W. Brown and Nelson E. Brown.