Table of Contents for the Space Village Biz Plan

Here are the posts I’d like to write over the coming weeks to flesh out the Space Village Business Plan (in addition to the two posts already written):

1. Conceptual architecture of the first village in space: based on the Kalpana 56 meter/4RPM Globus design.
2. Prerequisite to space settlement: cheap, reliable transportation to orbit. Cost per seat must be less than $100,000 or less. Ideally it will be “full fare economy.” Good news: this will likely happen.
3. What we can do while we wait for number two above to happen i.e. the incremental path to settlement:
   1. Step 1 on the path (each of these will be at least one separate blog post): ground-based research and marketing of space farm-related products (I’ve already started this part – more to come on this)
   2. Step 2: Market motion sickness reduction training developed by NASA Ames
   3. Step 3: Send a scale model of the settlement to space, spin it around, see how it behaves. Develop wobble control software.
   4. Step 4: Once cargo prices to orbit fall significantly: assemble an uncrewed rotating ring in orbit that others can rent space on for robotic experiments. Uses wobble control developed in Step 3 as competitive advantage. Then, a big jump:
   5. Step 5: Assemble the zero-gee core of the settlement, sell tickets.
   6. Step 6. Assemble the lunar-gee level of the settlement, sell tickets.
   7. Step 7. Assemble the martian-gee level of the settlement, sell tickets.
   8. Step 8. Complete the settlement structure. Test. Then move in!
   9. Step 9. Start the next settlement…
4. For each step describe what it is, the value proposition for each step, capital needed, expertise needed, competition and obstacles, and market demand. Might need a few posts for each step.
5. Raising capital – propose pre-selling and crowdfunding as innovative ways to jumpstart the early stages of the business. Discuss financials of ‘Airbnb concept’ for full-up settlement (Step 9).
6. Discuss need for diversity – why will this business be very explicit about the need to hire and inspire more than just white men (although they’re great too).
7. Discuss philosophy to government funding – r&d, anchor tenant, etc.
8. Call to action: we need good people!

Kalpana 2 RPM Settlement Concept Interior. Credit: Bryan Versteeg.