Doing Business in Space: Six Areas of This New Economy

Summary

• The space economy is developing rapidly through productive competition between private companies and governments.
• Launch costs have fallen from over $50,000 per kilogram in the Space Shuttle era to under $3,000 today.
• Next-generation reusable heavy-lift rockets may expand payload capacity & lower costs further.
• Satellite networks are extending broadband access to remote communities, aircraft, & ships.
• Direct-to-device services are in early development to allow ordinary smartphones to connect to satellites.
• Satellite data supports weather forecasts, navigation, & observation for agriculture, insurance, & construction.
• Governments invest in space-based communications, surveillance, & missile tracking for national security.
• The proposed Golden Dome missile-defense system will rely on space-based sensors & communications.
• Orbital data centers could ease constraints on land, power, & water but face hurdles regarding cooling, radiation, & cost.
• Google launched the Project Suncatcher prototype on October 1 to test AI processors in radiation & thermal conditions.
• Microgravity enables new manufacturing possibilities for pharmaceuticals, optical fiber, & specialized materials.
• Innovative manufacturing & travel concepts, including intercontinental travel & space tourism, may reach commercial scale over a 10-30 year horizon.
• The space economy connects themes of Productive Competition, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, & Securing Strategic Resources.