Strategic communication activity is guided by purposes, which are referred to
as communication functions because they designate the rhetorical intent or function
served by the communication activity. In the space tourism context, thirty-one different
communication functions being served by the communication were identified. In this
chapter the sixteen most prevalent functions were identified, quantified and
exemplified. They include: 1) Investor relations, 2) Lobbying, 3) Information
management, 4) Attitude change, 5) Education, 6) Creation of awareness, 7) Public
interest campaigns, 8) Credibility enhancement, 9) Image creation and defense, 10)
Coalition building, 11) Crisis management, 12) Public information campaigns, 13)
Public advocacy, 14) Public referendum campaigns, 15) Promotion of space tourism
and 16) Marketing public relations.
Keywords: Alliance, American aerospace industry, attitude, attitude change,
Challenger, credibility, crisis, crisis management, coalition-building, education,
image, image creation, image defense, information, information management,
interpersonal communication, public advocacy, public referendum, public interest
campaigns, X-Prize Foundation.
