Title: Including spaceflight in the transportation matrix: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Authors: Diane Howard

Addresses: Commercial Space Operations/Spaceflight Operations, Applied Aviation Sciences, College of Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, USA

Abstract: The role of spaceflight is evolving. Innovative systems insert an increasing number of assets into orbital slots for the private and public sectors. Private space transportation systems currently transport cargo to the international space station. Private operators will soon be transporting people as well. Despite these strides forward, space transportation is only now gaining traction as the sixth mode. The paper provides policy support for this position, frames the inquiry as to spaceflight's relationship to other modes of transportation, performs a plurality analysis and discusses the feasibility of applying some basic logistics research to help manage these intermodal relationships.

Keywords: spaceflight; spaceports; synchromodal; pluralism.

DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2018.089516

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research, 2018 Vol.7 No.1, pp.23 - 35

Received: 07 Sep 2016
Accepted: 31 Jul 2017
Published online: 29 Jan 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article