Charles J. Lauer
Co-founder & VP Business Development, Rocketplane Global Inc.

This presentation will review the fundamental economic drivers that will create a robust and diverse cis-lunar space economy over the next 30 years and how these forces support the UN Sustainability Goals. New space industries such as lunar and asteroid resource development, in-space assembly and satellite servicing, and active debris removal will be discussed. Reusable launch vehicle developments will be discussed including the Rocketplane Global program here in Michigan and the development of a Green Spaceport under the Michigan Launch Initiative.

Mr. Lauer is a graduate of the University of Michigan College of Architecture & Urban Planning. He is a successful real estate planning consultant and developer, and the President of Peregrine Properties, Ltd. in Lansing, Michigan. Mr. Lauer has been responsible for negotiating, obtaining regulatory approvals and arranging financing for over $350 million in numerous successful real estate development projects; as well as having served as the Planning Commission Chairman in his local community for more than 10 years. He is also a co-founder and Vice President of Business Development for Rocketplane Global, Inc. He has been researching and developing potential business opportunities in space since 1991, and has published many general interest articles and technical papers on commercial space development. Mr. Lauer has been a consultant to Boeing, NASA and several space start-ups on commercial space projects. He is now actively involved in the planning and development of several new spaceport projects around the world; and is an Advocate and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Space Frontier Foundation. He is a member of the IAF Commercial Spaceflight Safety Committee; a member of the Board of Advisors of the International Space Safety Foundation; and a member of the Suborbital Spaceflight Safety Committee of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. He is also a Guest Lecturer and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Commercial Space Operations Program Advisory Board, and a member of the FastForward Working Group studying point-to-point suborbital space transportation policy and technology issues.

Mr. Lauer has also been involved in the development and commercialization of several next-generation renewable energy technologies including advanced wind turbines for land as well as offshore wind farm applications; hybrid wind/solar energy farms; wave energy development, manufacturing and deployment, and new algae-based biofuels production. His focus in this business sector is in creating public-private partnerships in key geographic markets around the world and creating joint venture project teams to implement the technology development and manufacturing capacity necessary to commercialize these Green Technology programs.