LAST year, NASA declared the International Space Station open for business . Although firms could already do research on the ISS under contract with NASA, the agency hoped to stimulate pure commerce, including the manufacture of biotech and the development of on-orbit industries that could support NASA’s deep space exploration goals – not to mention bringing in some cash.

Instead, it got beauty product marketing with Estée Lauder, sports shoe design with Adidas and the transport of space tourism …