The New Space Race: Is it a noble cause or the new face of luxury?
There are many who are skeptical about the new billionaire space race. Why should we continue to invest in space travel? Are these billionaires just showing off? How about taxpayers that have paid for every NASA mission since its inception? It’s time to demystify this industry. Space travel isn’t a hindrance economically, it is not only guaranteeing that we survive indefinitely as a species, but also the quickest way to create the society we all wish to see and live in. In short: to survive indefinitely we need to advance space travel and, in the process, improve our society. Advancements across many industries are directly affected by advancing space travel such as the Medical and Health care Industry. Innovations created by NASA, or privatized space companies directly and indirectly create change and evolve our technologies. There is a new space race that is taking off internationally, no pun intended. Billionaires are financing a new travel industry in space, one that has the potential to change the way we travel much like previous iterations of transportation have revolutionized our way of life.
People ask why we spend billions on space travel all the time: Why is it so important? Why are these billionaires showing off rockets and creating space travel companies when so much needs to be fixed here on Earth? How can Space travel and technological progress help our situation back home. The voices that ask these questions range from simple curiosity to mild irritation, to extreme disgust depending on who you are asking. The first thing we should address is that space travel is expensive, but through that expense we see a return that has kept innovation alive and thriving in this industry. Now let’s put that into perspective: out of the entire national yearly budget, Space exploration only accounts for .05%. (https://tinyurl.com/2p9ymsdm) It’s safe to say considering the returns, it’s a great investment. While there are pros and cons to any situation, the pros of having a new space race far outweigh the cons. Perceptions can be changed, but the fruits and benefits that advancing space technology can bring span almost every single industry. An advanced space industry creates an advanced society if the last 60 years have anything to say about it.
One major concern the general public has is the economic impact of the space industry. Questions pop up such as “As taxpaying citizens, why should we pay for this”? “Why can’t our tax dollars go to helping society”? These are valid questions but contrary to those assumptions, space travel isn’t just about exploration anymore; it’s becoming a competitive industry and we are in its infancy. The support structure for privatized space flight is an industry that has created thousands if not millions of jobs around the world. “In 2019, 95% of the estimated $366 billion in revenue earned in the space sector was from the space-for-earth economy: that is, goods or services produced in space for use on earth. The space-for-earth economy includes telecommunications and internet infrastructure, earth observation capabilities, national security satellites, and more. This creates a vibrant economy. Space travel and exploration needs to include everything humans need to survive in space for extended periods of time. (https://tinyurl.com/sn276ze4) Everything from dehydrated foods, liquids and other consumables, specialized materials, clothing, tools needed, etc. Everything is fabricated and prepared here on Earth and that industry is in motion even before the rocket is finished being constructed. Everything comes together to make this industry work, and a bonus is that the level of cooperation needed is so vast, that international cooperation and collaboration have been normalized in this industry even among our fiercest competitors.
You may be cautiously skeptical about space travel. Space travel and exploration are big money! Every launch is in the millions and there is nothing cheap about it. It may seem like an enormous economic burden but it’s time to dispel that myth once and for all: For the last several years, during the beginning of privatized space flight and the height of collaboration with NASA, money allocated to NASA formed around .05% of the federal budget. “For roughly the past decade, NASA has received about 0.5% of all planned federal spending. In the 2018 fiscal year, that translates to about $20.7 billion”. (Mosher, D.) Now let’s compare that to the benefits we have gained economically because of our continued efforts in space: NASA has helped revolutionize technology and the pace of technological progress. The space industry is one of the main industries in our society driving innovation. The entire goal of space travel is to allow humans to become completely independent of the natural systems in place on Earth that help sustain our lives and make our existence possible. That includes all industries that humans have created, and space travel helps advance them all. “During the past 50 years, NASA technologies have made their way into medical, architectural, military, automotive, and artistic applications, just to name a few. Everything from personal computers to solar energy has roots in the human spaceflight program. The investment we have made has paid off in a big way. Estimates for return on investment range from $2 back for every $1 spent to $7 for every $1 spent”. (Stakkestad, K.) (https://tinyurl.com/bdnzsjuk)
The more we revolutionize and advance space travel, the more it will trickle down and benefit all of society. In science fiction shows such as Star Trek, we see the promise of a futuristic society that has moved on to a post-scarcity economy. In that kind of economy, technology will have advanced to the point that scarcity in resources no longer exist creating a standard of living for all humans that is much higher than what we have today: That is the main goal. Everyone who works in this field and dedicates their lives to it sees this promise. To them it’s an eventuality that comes along with taking on such a daring and brave task. While many industries need to be addressed, one that stands out is health care. This is because of how space travel and advancing medical research go hand in hand. Some research has directly impacted the medical field while other discoveries indirectly impact different fields, and these breakthroughs are shared by NASA scientists to the scientific community in general. These breakthroughs are then evaluated for further use in industries that have use for them. The medical industry has been one of those stand out industries with some of the following as examples:
- “Digital imaging breast biopsy system, developed from Hubble Space Telescope technology
- Tiny transmitters to monitor the fetus inside the womb
- Laser angioplasty, using fiber-optic catheters
- Forceps with fiber optics that let doctors measure the pressure applied to a baby’s head during delivery
- Cool suit to lower body temperature in treatment of various conditions
- Voice-controlled wheelchairs
- Light-emitting diodes (LED) for help in brain cancer surgery
- Foam used to insulate space shuttle external tanks for less expensive, better molds for artificial arms and legs
- Programmable pacemakers
- Tools for cataract surgery” (Brinson, L. C.) (https://tinyurl.com/bddd96y3)
Deep space travel such as missions to Mars require almost complete independence from the rest of society back on Earth. Any medical emergency must be attended to by the Astronaut patient and the crew as they are the only medical lifeline available to each other. This requires a massive push for advancement in medical research. Radiation destroys DNA and without proper shielding, Astronauts will surely encounter it on the way to the red planet. In weightlessness, muscle atrophy occurs at a rapid pace, and astronauts are required to train and exercise constantly. Without doing this they risk serious medical issues in space. “Without appropriate exercise, they lose bone and muscle mass. They become prone to developing kidney stones. Their hearts become deconditioned. Their blood vessels stiffen. A subset of astronauts develop a swelling of the optic nerve and possibly an increase in pressure on the brain. Even dormant viruses become activated, alongside changes to the immune system. There is a sense of urgency to solve these problems if we are to send humans to Mars and return them safely in the next decade or two”. (Donoviel, D.) (https://tinyurl.com/2wnnw827) These reasons along with many more make the health care industry a primary beneficiary of the space industry and its advancements. It is crucial that medical technology and Space technology advance together. We can build incredibly complex spaceships, but without proper medical technology we won’t even be able to shield ourselves from radiation in space and that can potentially stop exploration until we find ways to solve these issues. We are biological creatures that have evolved to thrive on Earth, but once we leave our planet, we have to become completely independent from the systems that keep us alive and thriving here naturally on Earth.
Still not convinced? Let’s dive a bit into the core ideology of the biggest private space company right now: SpaceX. They are a private space company funded by the current richest man in the world: Elon Musk. It is a company that aims to not only take humanity to the stars but keep them there. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX says “You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great — and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.” (https://tinyurl.com/2c5ac53u)
While it may seem that billionaires are just using their money for expensive luxury trips into space and low Earth orbit, there is a very big upside for all of humanity in the long run. Usually, the word billionaire has a negative connotation, and rightfully so, but this is different. This is something that can revolutionize the way we live and accelerate human progress even quicker than we have accelerated in the last 250+ years. That is worth the price of admission to space exploration as a species. Not only do we gain more economically, but we also ensure that we survive as a species indefinitely in the long term. That sounds like a win, win situation to me!
Sources
Weinzier, M., & Sarang, M. (2021, February 12). The Commercial Space Age is here. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://hbr.org/2021/02/the-commercial-space-age-is-here.
Mosher, D. (2018, December 18). 85% of Americans would give NASA a giant raise, but most don’t know how little the space agency gets as a share of the federal budget. Business Insider. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-budget-estimates-opinions-poll-2018-12.
Stakkestad , K. (n.d.). What space exploration means for the growth of our economy. Bizjournals.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/techflash/2016/01/what-space-exploration-means-for-the-growth-of-our.html.
Brinson, L. C. (2020, June 30). What breakthroughs in medicine came from NASA? HowStuffWorks Science. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/nasa-inventions/nasa-breakthroughs-in-medicine.htm.
Donoviel, D. (2019, July 19). Space exploration is reinventing health care. TheHill. Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/453853-space-exploration-is-reinventing-healthcare.
SpaceX mission statement 2021: Spacex Mission & Vision Analysis. SpaceX Mission Statement 2021 | SpaceX Mission & Vision Analysis. (2021, January 27). Retrieved December 10, 2021, from https://mission-statement.com/spacex/.
