Randa Milliron Interview

Randa Milliron is CEO of Interorbital Systems, one of the New Space companies bidding to open space to private enterprise. She kindly gave this blog an email interview, which is produced below. Ms. Milliron has much to say.

You will note in answering one question she offers me the opportunity to change that question because the information on the IOS website has recently been updated. I decided to leave that question as it was, partly as a matter of journalistic transparency, but partly also because the questiom and the way she approached it gives another insight into Ms. Milliron. IOS seems to be in good hands.



*) Give us some idea of the process by which Interorbital decided to develop the Neptune, a private manned spacecraft.

The main goal of Interorbital Systems (IOS) has always been to establish a permanently manned corporate lunar base. The Neptune is required to accomplish that goal. We have been heavily influenced by the work of Lutz Kayser, the founder of OTRAG (the world’s first commercial space company). The modular construction we favor is directly traceable to his original concepts. Also, our use of the high-density storable propellant nitric acid as our oxidizer descends directly from Wernher von Braun (LOx was von Braun’s second choice) and Kayser.

*)Has the global economic downturn affected its development or prospects?

The economic downturn does not affect this sector. Space tourism and spacelift will always be high-ticket items, whether it’s $50,000 or $500,000,000---the base clientele will always be part of the upper income tier, or will be government, academic, or corporate customers, all of whom are used to paying top dollar for any type of space services. We believe that the demographic we serve can now and will in future be able to afford the price of a ticket or launch. One major difference in our program that could influence any of these potential customers, should they be affected by the economic downturn, is IOS’ price structure. Since we intend to offer our launch vehicles and launch services at the lowest price in the world, any of these entities in need of a cheaper flight to orbit than they have previously paid will be pleased to discover that our costs will set a new lower end pricepoint for spacelaunch. We believe our activities will open space for many new customers for whom standard industry costs are simply unaffordable.

*)NOTE: you may want to change this question---the website has been significantly updated this past week) Your corporate website says passenger flights in the Neptune spacecraft will likely begin in 2010. Yet, there seems to have been no test flights to date, and no grand unveiling of the spacecraft to the public. Will the 2010 target be met?

You were looking at an old webpage. That date was projected with the requirement of IOS having generated full-funding. As with all New Space rocket companies, including those run by millionaires and billionaires, operational date slippage is not uncommon, in fact, it has become the rule. In IOS’ case, delays have always been caused by funding requirements. Our propulsion systems were perfected over ten years ago, when we began an extensive R&D and testing program, so that is not a factor in terms of cash outlay, but flight tests are---and, not surprisingly, these require large amounts of money. 2010 will bring extensive flight tests of certain Neptune modules. Realistically, our human spaceflight program will begin in 2011-2012.

*) Once you have consistent access to Earth orbit, any number of possibilities open up. What are your instincts moving out? Interorbital has become involved in the Google Lunar X-Prize Challenge. Might the Moon figure in your long range plans? Might construction of hotels on Earth orbit be the next logical business step?

When we formally established Interorbital Systems in 1996 (after two years of R&D with the Pacific Rocket Society the world’s oldest experimental rocket society established for research into liquid propulsion), we also started the nonprofit scientific research and educational corporation, Trans Lunar Research. Our lunar base program is detailed on that site at www.translunar.org. The IOS corporate lunar base, with housing for researchers and lunar expedition crews, will serve as the first lunar hotel.*) If Interorbital succeeds in establishing a man-rated system capable of delivering cargo and humans to orbit, the big boys of the aerospace industry will either try to buy you or beat you. Is Interorbital's financial situation such that you will be able to follow an independent course? We’re not interested in selling. We have always made our own money with and for this enterprise, and put that money back onto the program. This has allowed us to pursue a completely self-made and self-sustaining course. We are independent by definition, and intend to stay that way. The founders own a majority of the company. Less than 1.5 % of the company is owned by investors. We intend to offer a maximum of 5% equity, and not to exceed that limit. We offer other types of participation, like our program for fractional ownership of the launch vehicles, and a profit sharing program for a lunar sample return mission. Ticket sales for Neptune six-person orbital expeditions and satellite launch bookings generate cash flow for our R&D.

*) What is your take on the early days of space industrialization? We look at Polar Orbit as the new industrial zone. We are currently in negotiations to conduct pharmaceutical, biomedical and medical experimentation in our orbiting Station Module (OSM). New Space is indeed a gold mine and we are very willing prospectors!

*)What will establish private enterprise beyond Earth in a meaningful and enduring way?

The availability of relatively low-cost industrial launchers that are able to operate independently of land-based federal spaceports will enable launch-on-demand---like the Neptune Series. Space tourism? Pharmaceutical research and manufacturing? Something else? Lunar colonization, cargo lift, sat launch, and tourism. I notice that some of the New Space critics think that lunar activities are silly or useless and that we should just dash ahead to Mars. As I am fond of saying that when I look at the Moon, I see real estate. It’s been referred to as the Eighth Continent and we at Interorbital believe that to be true. The Moon is the natural and logical location for the establishment of a permanent human presence. First the Moon, then onto the rest of the Solar System!