The New Space Race
The concept of space exploration has captivated imaginations worldwide since the first human stepped foot on the moon in 1969. However, the traditional powerhouses of space travel have been governments, who control launch capabilities and access to space, resulting in a few select countries being integral actors in space travel. Now, however, a new era of space exploration has arrived: the “New Space Race”.
This shift has been characterized by more private companies entering the space race, and a dedication from space-faring nations to pursue more accessible and commercialized space exploration. Indeed, the New Space Race is bringing more players to the cosmic playground, and the future of space travel looks brighter than ever.
The Fading Out of Government-Funded Space Explorers
The traditional space programs worldwide were funded by governments, and led by national institutions like NASA and the Roscosmos, who had dominated the field of space exploration since the space race of the 1960s. However, in recent years, government space exploration has faced problems, largely having to do with budget cuts and decreased funding. As space exploration has come to be seen as expensive, risky and without assured returns, governments have begun to pull away in their support of national space exploration programs, leaving the future of ambitious space projects increasingly in the hands of private entrepreneurs and companies.
The Rise of Private Companies in the New Space Race
Private companies have increasingly become a dominant force in the modern space race landscape, as taking a spaceship to space has become more accessible and economically feasible. Notable amongst these are companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and OneWeb. SpaceX, founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has achieved many milestones, like launching a reusable rocket for the first time, starting satellite deliveries for the company Starlink, and successfully sending an alien spacecraft to the Red Planet. Blue Origin is often seen as its chief competition, being founded by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and having achieved feats such as launching a lunar lander and going on many suborbital flights. OneWeb, founded by Greg Wyler, is another notable player, whose main aim is to deliver high-speed internet to any point on Earth using low Earth-orbiting satellites.
Benefits of the New Space Race
The New Space Race has been beneficial in multiple ways. Most importantly, it has reduced the cost of space exploration and travel, enabling more people to access the stars. Companies such as SpaceX, for instance, are faster and cheaper than most government space programs, as they allow for shorter turnaround times for launches, and make reusing rockets a reality. Moreover, with private companies in the picture, more people are making more ambitious projects than before. Innovative products from companies like OneWeb are bringing us ever closer to the ideal of using low orbit satellites to deliver high-speed internet anywhere in the world. Ultimately, the New Space Race has made access to space travel easier and more accessible.
List of Existing Private Space Companies
The private space companies vary in size and ambition, ranging from industry veterans like Boeing to relative newcomers like Moon Express. Here is a list of some of the most well-known private space companies operating today:
- SpaceX
- Blue Origin
- OneWeb
- Boeing
- Virgin Galactic
- Moon Express
- Planet
- Bigelow Aerospace
- Uwingu
- XCOR Aerospace
- Made in Space
The Future of Space Travel
The future of space travel appears to be in the hands of private companies, as their role in the space race continues to grow. Currently, the private space industry is on track to be worth over $2.7 trillion by 2040 and, if recent trends are any indication, this number is only going to get bigger. Private companies are already sending rockets and satellites into space, deploying resources and flying missions to distant planets. Moreover, space tourism is becoming increasingly common and we may soon see journeys to the Moon or even Mars become commonplace.
The New Space Race, characterized by greater private participation and ambition, has changed the face of space exploration. An influx of private companies have increasingly provided access to space and opened up various possibilities, like space tourism, affordable satellite launches, and interplanetary exploration. From the current trends and forecasts, it appears that the future of space travel will continue to be driven by private companies, ushering in a new era of space exploration.
