Quote Originally Posted by Wraith View Post
AR81, when you said "NASA is after private space activity." did you mean that they're courting private space activity? That they're trying to get more of it? If so, that's what EyeKhan means too.
No. NASA as promoter of private entrepreneurship. However there are ways in which NASA could generate revenue with private activity too. Nowadays there are NASA buildings at Cape Canaveral that are leased to Boeing SLS. In the end what matters is to find ways to generate revenue. NASA does not need to be a private company to be part of a private space era. ISS is likely to be leased too. NASA may also offer services and generate revenue. There are ways to do that.

If you want to stay in touch with some hardcore private activity, you may track Nanoracks. Nanoracks is a pioneer small company. Usuall, space activity requires high CAPEX, which small companies do not have. Nanoracks aimed at services. You may say they are a "box" company. They take your cargo and box it inside the truck and deliver it to its destination. Customer does not need to understand all the bureaucracy and complexities of a launch and verifications. Only the basic requirements are given to customer and the rest goes through Nanoracks. Very clever business model. Today, Nanoracks, is quite a legend as a pioneer in private space activity.

There are other small companies involved in space.