The Space Economy: Separating Fact from Fiction

The space economy is such an interesting topic, it feels like science fiction in many ways to use materials from space to help people back on Earth. I am very eager to see how it develops over the next decade, and whether a number of the ambitious business plans in this area will take hold. It is also worth noting that as the technology has progressed in recent years, it comes at a time where space is likely to be more contested than ever before. We can only hope that this progress is not stifled by the fragile geopolitical environment we are all living in right now.

In this edition, our first post-SATELLITE 2024, we take a futuristic look at the space economy. Marisa Torrieri looks at how building things in space impacts industries such as pharmaceuticals and how space could pave the way for better medicines for people. There are so many different and unique elements to the space economy, and how it could help the pharma industry is one of them.

Speaking of ground-breaking, in-space maneuvering definitely fits into this category and has been a big talking point at many space/satellite conferences in recent years. However, it is a complex technical market, and while servicing and refuelling satellites is clearly a good cause, it is much easier said than done, as you need solid business models for the customers to justify the expense involved. Vivienne Machi takes a look at the current state of play of this market and whether we might see some significant breakthroughs in the near future.

My colleague Rachel Jewett brings us the second part of “Celebrating Women in Satellite,” which puts the spotlight on inspiring women in our industry. The first part of the story was the cover story for our March edition, and really emphasises the ‘community’ approach we like to take with some of our content in Via Satellite. It is very important to celebrate the people that drive our community. Thank you once again for your continued support.