Preserving the History of Commercial Space: Issues, Needs, Resources

Article

“Preserving the History of Commercial Space: Issues, Needs, Resources” by Scott Sacknoff
Published in Quest Volume: 28 #2 (2021)

Abstract

In less than a decade’s time, privately led ventures have begun developing the space hardware, systems, and services to create a space business ecosystem that many have envisioned for decades. With increasing media and public attention toward these ventures, it is important to note that there is a long and, some would say, colorful history that needs to be told and documented. Historians have been telling the story of the government Space Age–humanity’s early activities related to leaving our planet for the first time and utilizing satellites in low-Earth orbit to expand existing military capabilities–for the past sixty years. It is only natural that a number of historians have begun to turn their attention toward the undiscovered country of commercial space. This article aims to impart the reader with a better understanding of what commercial space is, prior research that has occurred, the challenges historians will face, and some resources and efforts that are undergoing in order to better aid future researchers. A future article will focus on the varied space activities and entrepreneurial ventures that define the near sixty-year history of commercial space.

Citation

Sacknoff, Scott. “Preserving the History of Commercial Space: Issues, Needs, Resources.” Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly 28, no. 2 (2021): 61-63.