Introduction

Space activities in recent years are generally portrayed in the media with images of exciting commercial advances, featuring a new generation of entrepreneurs that has emerged to join the traditional aerospace and defence industrial community. These entrepreneurs are embracing the development of new markets in space services, and attracting unprecedented interest and volume of private investment. New concepts of public-private partnerships are underway, responding to ‘first buyer’ and ‘anchor customer’ approaches. Space agencies are adopting more agile rules of procurement, opening them to participation by small and start-up companies. The twenty-first century is witness to other crises relating to climate change, natural disaster, food and energy security, accompanied by human suffering and strife. Responsible ecological behaviour, largely reusability and alternative energy resources, such as solar power, are also considerations for space activities.