Utilizing ISS

The European Space Agency is looking at ways to better use ISS as a research outpost. To that end, European nations not currently involved in the ISS project will be given access to the station for the next three years.

The ESA operates in an interesting way. Although the point of ESA is to allow European nations to pool resources and participate in major space projects, each nation can opt out of projects it does not choose to help fund. Therefore, although ESA is a partner in the ISS program, only 10 of ESA's 18 members actively participate, and three-- Germany, France, and Italy-- combine for most of the funding. Beyond ESA members, the European Union has 27 members all told, and EU members will also be able to use ISS.

The ESA approach would seem to be good news for space and microgravity research. No doubt it is; especially at this early stage of truly opening space, the more the merrier. However, there might be a private option to ISS. If Bigelow Aerospace is successful in quickly deploying its inflatable structure space stations. ISS will no longer be the only game in orbit. Indeed, as reported recently in this blog, BA is in contact with seven nations, including Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK exploring what those nations would need to use a BA station. If BA establishes there is a good market for space stations, in the private as well as the public sectors, competitors to BA will emerge. ISS may be the first-- and last-- of its kind.