Space-as-a-Service: A Framework and Taxonomy of -as-a-Service Concepts for Space

The servitization of space is introducing profound change, challenging established companies with new business models, and significantly lowering the entry barrier to space. New types of services such as Mission-as-a-Service, Satellite-as-a-Service, Constellation-as-a-Service, etc., are introduced. However, what these notions mean is not clear and in practice, they are often used with contradicting meanings. This paper aims to provide an initial survey of various new service concepts in the space domain and develops a taxonomy and framework for classifying these emerging services with their underlying systems. A particular emphasis is put on distinguishing novel, "New Space" services from traditional space services. We find that these new space services differ, compared to traditional space services in at least three aspects: New space services have their origin in a transition from a product-to a use-oriented business model and make reference to Cloud computing and its underlying techniques such as virtualization. We conclude that analogous to the terrestrial impact of Cloud computing on the emergence of numerous e-commerce start-ups, we might see a similar surge of in-space applications, building on a new space service backbone. Such a development is likely going to be enabled by the shift from traditionally high capital expenditures of developing space applications to operating expenses, thereby lowering the entry barrier.