Compare and Contrast: Opportunities and Challenges for Native Americans in the United States Commercial Spaceport Industry

As the United States (U.S.) looks inland to increase launch and re-entry capacity, the notion of tribal spaceports or other associated support industries as a growth opportunity for Native Americans must be explored. Inland spaceports owned and operated by tribal nations may be a pathway to fulfilling some of the anticipated national need while providing opportunity for economic improvement for the associated tribes. There are currently 574 sovereign tribal nations in the U.S. with 229 in Alaska and the remainder spread across 35 other states. Within these nations, economic strain, poverty, and lack of opportunity can be severe. Simultaneously, there is an acute lack of Native American participation in the U.S. space sector. With this backdrop, the research objectives of this study are two-fold: First, to assess the opinions of Native Americans on the possibility of tribal and non-tribal spaceports on tribal land and the existence of space opportunities for sovereign nations in the U.S.; and second, to assess the perspectives of non-Native Americans on the same topics for a compare and contrast analysis. To meet those objectives, an anonymous survey was developed and distributed to both Native and non-Native Americans in the U.S. in a two-phase study. Despite a low response rate from indigenous respondents, data indicate statistically significant differences between the responses of the two groups, but also areas of agreement. Native American respondents were open to a tribal spaceport, particularly in partnership with the state, but were not positive about a non-tribal spaceport on tribal land. They also signaled significant barriers for a tribal spaceport, including an elevated level of distrust toward non-tribal entities, a concern over tribal land and airspace use, impacts to tribal laws and customs, environmental impacts, lack of infrastructure, and a prevailing belief that space opportunities do not exist for tribal nations. Non-Native American respondents echoed some these concerns, highlighting past political injustices and unfair negative biases toward the indigenous, but were more positive of a collaborative non-tribal spaceport on Indian land. Both groups recognized the potential benefits of a tribal spaceport while acknowledging the risks. Following an in-depth review of study results, implications are explored.