Global Space Agency Heads Address the IAC

The space agency heads from around the world provided a rapid overview on their current respective national and international programs and insight into future plans, giving views on actual developments and potential international opportunities among the spacefaring nations.

Among the participants in the approximately 90-minute session, in order of presentations, were: Joo-Jin Lee, President, Korea Aerospace Research Institute; Charles Bolden, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General, European Space Agency (ESA); Anatoly Perminov, Head, Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos); G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); Keiji Tachikawa, President, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); and Steve MacLean, President, Canadian Space Agency.

The presentations and subsequent discussion provides the observer insights as to the capabilities of two (Russia and America) of the three primary (China not included here) and many of the secondary second-level space technology players on the world scene. The clear signal was made that India will become the fourth human space flight team. China and India have repeatedly signaled the desire to become part of the international space station partnership.

The Russian Roscosmos seemed to stress plans to lower the cost of spaceflight and be competitve in the space launch markets with a focus on the heavy-lift capability during the questioning session. The Russians indicated the desire to continue a strong play in human space flight.

NASA Administrator Bolden noted that enhanced international cooperation is deemed vital and that the United States would focus on a heavy-lift capability pointing to the development of the Ares-V booster to dash out of low earth orbit. The agency chief also noted that the American commercial sector will be supported. Routine spaceflight costs must be driven down by changes in propulsion systems. Presidential science advisor John Holdren and Bolden will meet with the President Obama very soon to discuss future American space policy.

In summary, there appears to be a robust civil space program globaly especially evident when one views the clarity of intent of the Chinese and the probable intent of the United States to build the largest heavy-lift capacity in the world over the next decade with commercial firms playing a larger role in LEO access.