In 1999, the UN General Assembly declared 4th to 10th of October to be World Space Week to ‘celebrate at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”. This year’s theme is “Satellites Improve Life” as well as celebrating “Women in Space.”
To support and celebrate World Space Week, we’ve pulled together key content resources, including podcasts, research highlights, videos, tools & resources to share with your users.
Dr. Stella Tkatchova, author of Emerging Space Markets and a project manager in the European Space Industry, joins us for this four-part series to characterize today’s space market. Who are the major players? Which sectors of the space economy prove to be the most sustainable—and lucrative? Is space tourism a viable, profitable opportunity for billionaires, or just a publicity stunt?
On July 20th, 2021, Blue Origin—the aerospace company founded by multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos—launched a space flight with four passengers, including the founder himself. This 10-minute flight to the borders of outer space sparked new discussions surrounding commercial investments in the space economy. How has space exploration evolved from a government-sanctioned space race to an industry rife with privately-funded business ventures?
In this first episode, Stella introduces us to the commercialization of the space industry. She digs into the rapid progression of private investments in the field, as well as her predictions for advancements in space debris cleanup, solar-powered satellites, and lunar exploration. Stella also chats about her two books on the subject, 2018’s Emerging Space Markets, and a forthcoming title, which will dig into the impact of disruptions in the market due to new space technologies.
In recent decades, which has experienced the most significant change: space technology or its business model? Dr. Stella Tkatchova has observed a striking shift in space commerce. Once a federally-funded race to plant a flag on Earth’s moon, space exploration has transformed into a private, money-making enterprise. So how did billionaires become today’s astronauts? How has space travel evolved into a competitive, profit-seeking business? How did we get here—and where are we headed?
In this second episode, Stella describes how we arrived at the current space economy. She breaks down the growth of public-private partnerships, the decline of subcontractors, and promising subsections of the market like space debris clean-up and lunar mining. Plus, Stella explains why viable and self-sustaining space tourism may be farther off into the future than we think—“the problem is that only one accident might completely destroy this market.”
How has space exploration’s shift from a government-dominated industry to an increasingly privatized environment influenced the market? Are the major players still in the US and Russia? Which investments attract the most competition and innovation?
In this third episode, Dr. Stella Tkatchova walks through today’s space market. She explains how China’s rising power in space technology has disrupted the business, and why companies have turned their sights (and dollars) to lunar exploration. Plus, Stella highlights her recent webinar on the lunar economy and predicts how countries will address governmental borders while inhabiting the moon.
We’ve launched satellites into orbit. Sent a rover to Mars. Landed on the moon. What’s next for the space industry? Which near-term goals are possible in this decade? Well, organizations will first need to address the accumulating mass of debris congesting the near-Earth space environment. Also known as space junk, these thousands of pieces of abandoned satellites and rockets pose serious risks. As Dr. Stella Tkatchova notes, “If you cannot clean the orbit, you will not be able to have human space flight.”
In the final episode of this series, Stella discusses what’s next in space technology. She digs into the ever-growing problem of orbital debris, its potential threats to the market, and the business opportunities it creates for cleanup and removal companies. Last, Stella offers some advice for universities on how to prepare students for diverse career and research opportunities in the space industry.
