Operationalizing the definition of "Commercial Space".

This paper operationalizes (i.e., collects data to test the validity of) propositions based on the evolution change motor applied to market level organizations. At these inter-organizational levels of analysis, Space Race Era activities are characterized as teleologically driven (directed by a centralized agent) and more recent space activities (such as suborbital tourism) as evolution driven (subject to forces of variation, selection, and retention). This definition assumes a continuous (non-dichotomous) definition along three dimensions, depicted as a Cartesian coordinate system, with each orthogonal axis corresponding to the three evolution motor forces. Force components include levels (total amounts from all contributing actors) and robustness (sensitivity to increase or decrease in number of contributing actors) of each. Proxies for the three forces include number and amounts of innovation (for the variation force), funding (for the selection force), and demand (for the retention force). A causal diagram shows the relationship of the proxy variables to market "commercialness" based on two extreme samples cases. • This paper asserts propositions using an evolution change motor to evaluate the degree space markets can be considered "commercial.". • This paper identifies and exercises the proxies for the level and robustness of each evolution change motor force: variation, selection and retention. • As examples, this paper compares U.S. space race era activities and contemporary space tourism activities. • Special cases, including monopolies, state owned enterprises and monopsonies, are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]