Could there be another Space Race?
I believe we’re already seeing another
Space Race, except that instead of states racing to the Moon, it’s a commercial space race among private entrepreneurs like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Both have been inspired by somewhat different visions of humanity’s future in space and are investing heavily in the technology to make that happen. Already, launch costs have come down dramatically as these companies have developed reusable rocket technology. Between 1970 and 2000, the average cost of launching a kilogram of payload to orbit was £14,000 ($18,000); today that cost is £2,000 ($2,550) per kilogram. As launch costs come down, more people, countries, companies and scientists can access space than ever before, with yet-to-be-seen benefits. Seeing the possibility for not just economical access to space, but economic benefits, many companies are now racing to see who can make space profitable.
Of course, with greater access to a limited resource comes greater congestion and competition. For most of the space era, states have utilised it for military and strategic advantage, and as more countries seek to use space, there might also be a military space race in the offing. While I believe the rhetoric is a bit overblown, racing doesn’t have to be negative. The original Space Race led to technological breakthroughs that we take for granted today. New space races will undoubtedly result in discoveries and opportunities and provide a basis for increased cooperation in the future among technological equals.
Dr Wendy Whitman Cobb, associate professor of strategy and security studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Alabama