1 The Future of Democracy and Space: Increased Democratization of Governmental Decision Making

[Abstract]. NASA’s lack of a direct constituency among voters creates a structural issue that constrains budgets and options for civil space. In the first decade of the twenty-first century, trends have emerged that may alter how space policy is created. The future of space policy may well evolve into a more open system, thus impacting NASA’s budget and programs. Mass collaboration, IT tools and Web 2.0 have empowered individuals. Space entrepreneurs are likely to create a new class of space consumers. Space assets are on the critical path of global warming. Taken together, these trends promise to involve the global and national public more directly, and more often, in space policy choices. I. NASA’s Structural Political Position: The Absence of a Major Direct Constituency Base NASA, for all of its visibility and iconic meaning to society, does not possess a large direct constituency base in the American population. It is unlike other well-known and well-funded government and quasi-government programs and agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Veterans Administration, the Small Business Administration, Medicare, The Department of Education, The U.S. Postal Service or the Department of Defense. These and other federal entities provide direct economic payouts, subsidies, loans, benefits, services and goods to individual Americans, their families and communities. These Americans, in turn, are politica