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The International Space Station will open for commercial and marketing opportunities – will someone send the artists?
NASA outlines “Strategic Objective 2.1”
On Friday last week, NASA announced the guidelines for commercial engagement with the International Space Station. Through Strategic Objective 2.1, the agency is hoping to shift the role of the spacecraft, and of NASA’s role in the ecosystem of the Space Industry. As has been true since the ISS became operational in 2000, the work done on the space station contributes to our understanding of space, and our interplanetary goals, while also contributing to scientific advancements improving our lives on Earth. This opening up of the ISS to commercial opportunities will further its role in developing both of these space economies.
The opportunities include manufacturing or testing commercial products, and access for private astronauts. While there are restrictions to the program, the significance of this change lies in the potential for innovation and advancement that private industry can bring.
