1. Forecasting the Next 20 Years in Space: The New Race to Space
Bruce Cordell, Ph.D.
21stCenturyWaves.com

2. Preview “Live, work, and play.”— The Space Goal
We’ll have the ebullience!
Technology and Money are just the beginning
Long-term economic trends explain Apollo, the post-Apollo letdown, and the last 200 yrs…
Self-Sufficiency in space is essential
Windows close quickly
Our window opens in 2015; next opens in 2071
Some urgency

3. Introduction

4. Mars Dome City

5. Disney and Von Braun The 1960s were special…

6. The Way We Were…

7. 2001 Opened People’s Minds

8. The Way We Will Be

9. Maslow Window Model and the Data

10. It’s Why the smiles?

11. Why No Major Thrust Beyond LEO After Apollo?
No International Threat (Logsdon)
Too Expensive; Competition overemphasized (McDougall)
Generational Change (McCurdy)
Didn’t pay off (Brin)
Space Has No Meaning (Roland)
Cyberspace replaced Outer Space (Benjamin)
Space was a Political Deception (DeGroot)
These are Only Part of the Story…

12. 1952…

13. Colliers Magazine – Prelude to Apollo
“…the inevitably of man’s conquest of space… is not science fiction…the U.S. must immediately embark on a long-range program.” Colliers, March 1952
17 Yrs Later: Apollo 11 landed on the Moon
Is There A Parallel Today?

14. The 56 Yr Energy/Economy Cycle
From Hugh B. Stewart (1989), Recollecting the Future, Dow Jones-Irwin, Homewood, IL, pp. 64.
Replotted in Theodore Modis (1992) Predictions, Simon & Schuster, New York, pp. 148.

15. Compelling Clusters Energy Peaks 1801 1857 1913 1969
Great Lewis & Clark/ Livingstone/ Peary/ Apollo/
Explorations N. America Africa N. Polar Moon
Macro-Engineering None Suez Canal Panama Canal Apollo
Projects (MEP)
Major Wars Napoleanic Wars/ Civil War W.W. I Vietnam/
War of Cold War

16. Great Exploration Events and MEPs: Definitions
Great Exploration Events are recognized by:
Exploration of significantly new geographical sites
An international audience attracted by competition, nationalism, and/or danger
Often, the use of state-of-the-art technology
Macro-Engineering Projects (MEPs) are recognized by:
Use of state-of-the-art technology, that is often improved
Extreme cost ($ 1+ B) and very large physical size
Ability to satisfy intangible needs of a spiritual or psychological nature, and to be highly inspiring (in addition to any practical purpose)

17. Lewis & Clark --The Great Exploration

18. MASLOW WINDOW EVENTS I: Great Explorations
Energy Peaks: 1801, 1857, 1913, 1969, (2025)
(D = Initial Event date – Energy Peak date)
1. Lewis and Clark/American West ( ) D = +3 yr
2. Livingstone/Africa ( ; ) D = -5 yr
King/American West (1864- )
3. Peary/North Pole (1909) D = -4 yr
4. Apollo/Moon ( ) D = -9 yr

19. Panama Canal…The MEP

20. MASLOW WINDOW EVENTS II: Macro-Engineering Projects (MEP)
Energy Peaks: 1801, 1857, 1913, 1969, (2025)
(D = Initial Event date – Energy Peak date)
1. None (1801)
2. Suez Canal ( ) D = +2 yr
Great Eastern Ship ( )
Trans-Atlantic Cable (1866)
3. Panama Canal ( ) D = - 9 yr
Titanic (1912)
4. Apollo ( ) D = -9 yr

21. MASLOW WINDOW EVENTS III: Major Wars
Energy Peaks: 1801, 1857, 1913, 1969, (2025)
(D = Initial Event date – Energy Peak date)
1. Napoleonic Wars/Europe ( ) D = +2 yr
War of 1812/N. America ( )
2. Civil War/U.S.A. ( ) D = + 4 yr
3. W. W. I ( ) D = +1 yr
4. Vietnam ( ) D = -4 yr

22. Economic Booms & Ebullience
1801 “…so much success…country’s credit was so good.”
1857 “…euphoric years…prolonged prosperity.”
1913 “…on the brink of Utopia.”
1969 “Camelot…unparalleled economic boom”
“The greatest economic boom ever.”

23. The Maslow Window Model
Economic boom every ~56 yrs in decade just before each energy cycle peak
Affluence, Wide-spread Reduction of
Maslow Pressures
Ebullience, Unusual Confidence in the Future
Emergence of conditions enabling
Great Explorations, MEPs, Major Wars

24. Forecasts and Indicators

25. 21st Century Forecasts – A Framework for the Future
The decade from 2015 to 2025 will be the analog
– in the economy, technology,
exploration, politics –
and have the zeitgeist of the 1960s

26. Maslow Window Characteristics Over Last 200 Years
MEP Costs dramatically increase, 100x
Exploration/MEP Timing; 5-9 yr before energy peaks
Major War Timing; just after energy peak, except for Vietnam
Rapid Cut-off After Energy Cycle Peaks
Significant Economic Growth between Peaks
Major Economic Booms every ~56 yrs triggered by technological innovations

27. Forecasts for 2015 - 2025 A Great Exploration in Space
Integrated with MEP, the “new” Apollo trend
“Sputnik-like” competitors and space tourism
A Primary MEP, w Secondary MEPs
E.g., manned Mars, solar power, space tourism
Cost ~ 10x Apollo
A Major War
War on Terror vs. Cold War before…
An early war could eliminate Exploration/MEP events.

28. Greatest Global Boom – 7/23/07

29. Signs of the Times…
The “greatest economic boom ever” Fortune July, 2007
International Space programs taking off…
Non-Space MEPs…e.g. Panama Canal
Return of Cold War-like tensions
Civic Health Index recovering from 1980s & 90s
Adventure-type travel and extreme sports skyrocketing
Suborbital space tourist industry ready to go
Millennials poised for exploration…

30. Policy Implications and Conclusions

31. A Few Policy-Related Implications
Major Programs only during Maslow Windows
GEs and MEPs are underestimated
Rapid Cutoff …Self-Sufficiency
Wildcard is Major War Timing
VSE has No Time for Mars?
Grand Alliance vs. Sputnik-style: Indicators
Maslow vs. Survival Programs
Long Waves influence Technology, Politics,etc..

32. Policy-Related Implications II
Math/Science Education Culture Changed
The New NASA and Interspace
Space Tourism, Technology, and Marketing
International Events influence U.S. Programs
Return of Cold War and Close Cooperation
Maslow Windows and Marketing NASA
Focus on creating Space Frontier Society
Approaching Maslow Window requires action

33. Who’s the Next Space President?

34. Why Should NASA Care?
A Framework for long-range planning and specific Forecast Models
A Marketing Theme – Space Exploration is the most recent manifestation of the tradition of Great Explorations that can be traced back to Lewis and Clark; And, they are always the result of economic booms
A Morale Boost -- Timing is almost inevitable due to long waves in the economy (i.e., Maslow Windows)

35. Can Humanity Afford to Wait?
Summary
will be the analog of the 1960s…
The key is self-sufficiency in space – because support for major exploration ends abruptly
The wildcard is the timing of the projected major war in the 2020s
After 2025, next Maslow Window of opportunity is between 2071 – 2081.
Can Humanity Afford to Wait?