The Future of Space Travel: A New Frontier for the Private Sector

Greetings, fellow explorers! Today, I will be diving into the first major theme from the sci-fi series I am writing, and as mentioned in my previous post: today’s post will be about the future of space travel. Albeit my own opinion of it – and in relation to my stories…. As we look ahead to the next 500 years, I am intrigued by the extent space travel will move from being the sole preserve of government towards the private sector.

A Shift from Government to Private Enterprise

From a historical perspective, I see the origins of space flight as an extension of the arms race during the Cold War. On one side, we had the USSR achieving several notable firsts, such as Sputnik – the first artificial satellite, Yuri Gagarin – the first human in orbit and Valentina Tereshkova – the first woman to travel into space aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft.

(I know – some may criticise me for specifying ‘woman’; especially when I mentioned Gagarin as ‘human’…. However, attitudes towards equality have changed since the 1960s, and are likely to continue to evolve).

In the USA, we had Neil Armstrong taking his first leap for mankind, satellite Explorer 1 detecting the Van Allen radiation belt and Mariner 2 – the first successful interplanetary mission by flying by Venus.

It was an era where humanity achieved incredible feats, but the landscape is changing – and in recent years, private companies such as Bigelow Aerospace, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic have emerged as significant players in the space industry. Some may say that these companies are not just participating in space exploration; they are revolutionising it, as their ambitious goals include:

Commercial Spaceflight: SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Blue Origin’s New Shepard are paving the way for regular commercial flights to space. Imagine a future where space tourism is as common as international travel is today.

Colonisation of Other Planets: Elon Musk’s vision for SpaceX includes establishing a human colony on Mars. While this might sound like science fiction, the development of the Starship spacecraft suggests that interplanetary travel could become a reality within our lifetime.

Resource Mining: Companies like Planetary Resources are exploring the potential of asteroid mining. The extraction of valuable minerals from asteroids could revolutionise our economy and provide the resources needed for further space exploration.

Innovation and Accessibility

One of the most exciting aspects of private sector involvement is the pace of innovation. These companies operate with an entrepreneurial spirit, often taking risks that government agencies cannot; leading to advancements in technology, such as reusable rockets – which have already helped to reduce the cost of launch.

This reduction in cost is a crucial factor. As space travel becomes more affordable, it will become accessible to a broader range of people and organisations. This democratisation, I foresee, could lead to a surge in space-based research, industry and even new forms of entertainment and tourism. Perhaps, in time, new and upcoming entrepreneurs could make use of the emerging technologies? I’d imagine that some may not have any particular interest in space per-sae – I’m thinking of people who’d just see space as an opportunity as much as a property developer views the housing market.

Collaboration and Competition

There is the expression that competition fosters competition – thereby driving innovation. And in the world my stories are set, Earth based businesses have become eager to advertise their environmental credentials. After-all, the human impact on our planet is real and the affect of heavy industry is no exception. As such, I foresee a world where manufacturing has been moved off-world.

It is not a time where pollution no longer exists, it is just that the affordability of space travel has enabled humans to hide the pollution. Sure, by virtue of manufacturing in space – whether this be in a spacecraft or station, or on a celestial body other than Earth, business would need to adapt it’s manufacturing processes accordingly; but when “Evil Corp” is seeking its profits, and sees the opportunity to exploit opportunities off-world, whilst keeping the toxicity hidden from the customers on Earth, then so be it….

In conjunction with this, I have been thinking about research and development of spacecraft technology. In the realm I am creating, the larger the company, the greater the likelihood it would have its own R&D department, whereas the smaller companies would either adopt the technology from a larger under licence (albeit a watered-down version) or rely on ‘third party’ R&D companies; pooling its resources with other companies.

From this, I see that tourism companies would focus more on the ‘creature comforts’ – the luxuries passengers require, and less on FTL propulsion (favouring either ‘off-the-shelf’ or older engines). The mining and pharmaceutical vessels, on the other hand, would see speed more favourable than crew comfort. It would be an ethos where product and profit held greater importance over safety.

Challenges Ahead

The setting for much of the stories I’m writing, is in an undisclosed sector, comprising of a number of star systems. One of which, is home to a mining colony where Regulation and Governance has become something for the companies to instigate and enforce – sometimes more so than any government. Likewise with Safety and Sustainability; and any Ethical Considerations that may arise.

After-all, as we expand our reach into space, we must consider the ethical implications of activities like colonisation, resource extraction and alien contact.

But, as the story goes, not at the expense of the next quarterly statement….

A New Era of Exploration

The future of space travel is undoubtedly filled with possibilities. As the private sector takes the helm, we are likely to witness unprecedented advancements and new opportunities. Whether it’s living on Mars, mining asteroids, or vacationing in space hotels, the dreams of science fiction are inching closer to reality.

As we embark on this new era of exploration, it’s essential to stay informed and engaged. The future of space travel will shape our world in ways we can’t yet imagine, and it’s up to us to navigate this journey responsibly and thoughtfully.

What are your thoughts on the future of space travel? Are you excited about the possibilities, or do you have concerns about the challenges ahead?

Stay curious, TAP