Air Freight and Space Freight

Here is a collection of information and websites, I have gathered to
develop a business plan around Space Freight for the USA.

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Space Ports Blog
http://spaceports.blogspot.com/

FAA Commercial Space Transportation Office
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/

NASA Prediction
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/webaccess/CommSpaceTrans/SpaceCommTransSec35/CommSpacTransSec35.html

SpacePorts in the USA
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/industry/spaceports/images/spaceport_map.jpg

NASA Predicts Market a while ago:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/webaccess/CommSpaceTrans/SpaceCommTransSec35/CommSpacTransSec35.html

Every year, an average of 2 billion people travel by air and more than
40 million tons of freight are shipped. Air freight is a significant
part of the aviation industry, with estimated total revenues of $49.5
billion in 2005. The total value of goods transported by air in 2005
is estimated to be US$3.25 trillion, equivalent to 35.6% of the
estimated US$9.14 trillion total global exports of goods. (iata.org;
http://www.iata.org/nr/rdonlyres/408082f2-4d5d-427d-9b4f-9ef020cc0142/0/air_freight_prospects_improving.pdf)

Freight operations (measured in tonnes) are expected to grow faster
than passenger operations. In 2005 freight was estimated at roughly 76
million tonnes and this number is expected to almost triple to reach
about 214 million tons by 2025 (Airports Council International, Global
Traffic Forecast 2007; http://www.speednews.com/a/aciforecast.pdf

An interesting recent analysis reaches just this conclusions—that
there are inherent risks and costs in launches that set a much higher
technical and business price floor than the assumed cost per lb. of
$100 to $400 that some predict would be needed to stimulate rapid
growth of the use of space for commercial purposes. When Physics,
Economics, and Reality Collide, Jurist, John, Dinkin, Sam, and
Livingston, David, July 2005 (draft).

Some cost reductions would be possible with an increased flight rate.
But it still remains difficult today to project any costs less than
$2,200/kg. ($1,000/lb), given that insurance, overhead, range costs,
etc. will sum to at least $1,000/lb, even before the vehicle leaves
the launch pad.
(http://www.gwu.edu/~spi/publications/NASA%20L.Vehicle%20Study%20V-5.pdf)

Ultra Low Cost Launch Vehicles A Stimulus For Turning Around the
Dramatic Decline of the U.S. Aerospace Industry
http://www.batse.msfc.nasa.gov/colloquia/abstracts_spring06/presentations/RSackheim-pres.pdf

Price Per Pound on Average
http://www.futron.com/pdf/resource_center/white_papers/FutronLaunchCostWP.pdf

Reusable Launch Vehicles Price
http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/designing_reusable_launch_vehicles_for_future_space_markets.shtml

According to NASA . . . The average cost to launch a Space Shuttle is
about $450 million per mission.

Surry of England has launched 30 or more small Sats at an average cost
of less than $10 million each. It is highly evident to many, through
market studies, business studies, etc., that if a U.S. launcher were
available in the $5 to $10 million dollar range, the U.S. satellite
market and the associated launch service business would increase by as
much as 3 to 5 times over what is currently forecasted for the next 10
to 20 years. The anticipated growth in these markets will be enabled
by the incredible growth in micro-electronic devices. This will
correspondingly enable a huge growth in highly capable,
multi-functional, micro-satellites provided that ultra low-cost
launchers become available.

Business Plan Competitions

Business plan competitions support "network creators" in technology development.  Participants in competitions transform uncertainties inherent in any idea and turn them into an opportunity by answering questions previously not answered by inventors.  These network creators change a problem into an opportunity through collaboration and open innovation principles that are fostered through the competition.

Business plan competitions are also designed to accelerate capability building within participants by helping them to learn about business strategy as well as innovation.  The competitions help inventors learn about, explore, and pursue business trajectories that were previously not considered.  In this way competitions permit business experimentation, naturally filtering of poor ideas as well as providing the most promising business opportunities constructive feedback.

By helping participants to master the techniques required to make solid business plans, participants in business plan competitions are well-positioned to create substantial economic value.

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Mercury Technology Labs (www.mercurytechlabs.com) is organizing the FedEx Institute of Technology's 2nd Annual Mid-South Business Plan Competition.  For more information visit http://fedex.memphis.edu/bizplan/

Artist Reception at RP Billards

Please help us welcome to Memphis
our Lantana / UM resident artist for spring 2007,
Ms. Barbara Bickart!

You are invited to join us at
RP Billiards (525 S. Highland)
on Thursday, February 22 at 8:00 p.m.
(following her artist's talk at the
Fogelman Executive Center)

Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.
The bar will offer Happy Hour prices until 10:00 pm.

Lantana Projects is a registered non-profit organization that is making Memphis a global leader in the contemporary arts community.

Lantana Projects, the University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the FedEx Institute of Technology are proud to bring video and interdisciplinary artist Barbara Bickart for a Memphis residency. Bickart's work has been presented at film festivals, theaters and galleries around the world. During her Memphis residency the artist hopes to explore the concept of resistance and its permutations.

Barbara Bickart's Artist Talk on February 22

Lantana Projects, The University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts, and the FedEx Institute of Technology welcome video and interdisciplinary artist Barbara Bickart as our resident artist for spring 2007. The artist will talk about her work, inspirations, and Memphis project at the annual University of Memphis TAP (Technology, Art, Performance) lecture on February 22 at 6:30 pm in room 123 of the Fogelman Executive Center.
The presentation is free and open to the public.

Barbara Bickart's work has been presented at film festivals, theaters and galleries around the world. Her artistic inquiry over the past 15 years has been grounded in issues of power and their relationship to economic, racial, and sexual orientation as well as gender and ethnic differences. The body as a site for these issues has been an integral part of Bickart's query. During her Memphis residency the artist hopes to explore the concept of resistance and its permutations

Comcast on its way to smooth landing in Memphis

Comcast on its way to smooth landing in Memphis, officials hope for easy transition

Memphis Business Journal - September 22, 2006 by Michael Sheffield

Comcast has finally begun the transition into the Memphis market, and the company is hitting the ground running in an effort to make as seamless a change as possible for cable and digital phone customers.

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. . . Eric Mathews, former director of the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis and founder of Mercury Technology Labs, says the growth of On Demand shows that cable providers are listening to the demands of consumers.

"What is very clear is that consumers have spoken. It's an On Demand world and who provides the content is a point of competition now," Mathews says. "Who will win in the future remains to be seen." . . .