Space logistics and transportation: An analysis of outsourcing in the cubesat launch process in Türkiye

Access to space (orbital transportation) is a costly, operationally complex, and high-risk logistics activity. Companies that produce space technology but do not have launch infrastructure use outsourcing (3PL) to obtain services for their orbital transportation operations. In this context, the space vehicle fleets owned by service providers, transportation costs, and their performance in orbital transportation play a critical role. In orbital transportation, the Falcon 9 developed by the US-based company SpaceX stands out thanks to its launch frequency, operational success rate, and cost-effectiveness and is preferred by companies producing space technology in many countries, including Türkiye. Examining and understanding the reasons behind this preference forms the main motivation of the thesis. Accordingly, the aim of the thesis is to determine the factors affecting the use of transport vehicles, which are an important element in the selection of service providers, and the relationships between these factors. Since outsourcing decisions are made at the corporate level, the dependent variable is "the intention to use a spacecraft in orbital transportation." As the orbital transportation process requires special expertise, data was collected and analyses were performed with the participation of aerospace engineering and technology and who work for companies engaged in space activities. Due to the examination of the spacecraft (rocket) technology used in orbital transportation, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT), independent variables, and risks that may be encountered in orbital transportation were used to create the research model. The Partial Least Squares Method-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), which allows multiple relationships to be examined simultaneously, was used in the analysis of the research model. Due to the exploratory nature of the thesis research topic, the lack of experts in the field of space in Türkiye, and the limited data obtained, the analyses were performed using the Smart PLS4 software package, which allows reliable results to be obtained from small samples. Four of the 16 hypotheses tested were rejected. The findings revealed that in the rejected hypotheses, the Quality variable fully mediated the relationship between Relative Advantage and Intention and the relationship between Attitude and Trust and Intention. Despite the rejection of the relevant hypotheses, it was found that Relative Advantage and Trust indirectly affected Intention. In the other rejected hypotheses, despite the negative relationship between the Cost and Process Risk variables and Intention, no significant result was obtained, indicating that xi service providers may be preferred in orbital transportation despite costs and risks. This situation shows that although costs are an important factor, they may be disregarded in the selection of service providers due to the limited alternatives in orbital transportation. Overall, it was found that the attitude and intention towards the use of SpaceX and Falcon 9, which stand out as 3PL service providers, in orbital transportation are positive. Although there are some reservations, it can be said that there is a general consensus among experts in Türkiye regarding the usability of this technology in orbital transportation. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of Türkiye's independent space access infrastructure.