An Evaluation of the General Public’s Perception of the Commercialization of Space

Abstract

In the past decade, commercial companies have rapidly expanded their presence in the space industry. Notably, SpaceX comprises the entirety of NASA's crewed launch capacity as of 2020 and approximately splits uncrewed launches with the United Launch Alliance. As interests in space quickly grow, the power of these companies has the potential to grow troublesome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the public opinion of these private space companies, as the implications of their operations could change life for the human race significantly. Changes such as satellite constellations, space tourism, asteroid mining, and colonies on the Moon and Mars will alter life for our species; future operations, legislation, and regulation must be created with the views of all humanity considered. Previous research has concluded that Americans generally support space exploration, but this work lacks specificity in increasingly relevant fields, such as satellite constellations. This study reinforced previous findings while drawing conclusions on new topics, utilizing a survey where participants were asked questions evaluating six Topics of Inquiry. Using a combination of descriptive and inferential analysis, the researcher found that most people support space exploration and would like to see more funding and resources put towards it. Broadly, most participants have a positive perception of these private space companies and believe in a need for moderate government oversight. Large satellite constellations were widely supported, suggesting an overall positive attitude towards the utilization of space, given that participants were informed of particular risks imposed by constellations such as SpaceX's Starlink.