In the event someone, somewhere, has missed it – let this column be the first to tell you that a revolution is upon the world, centered around the intersection of rapidly advancing space technologies, unprecedented entrepreneurial leadership, and private investing.
Just as Gutenberg’s printing press awakened the masses to the wisdom of the ancients, and the desktop computer put enormous computational power into the hands of ordinary people, low cost, off-the-shelf space technology is ushering in a new era of entrepreneurial ambition and human self-awareness. An audacity of spirit is sweeping the globe and small business’ ability to produce spacefaring individuals is altering the long arc of human history guided by an invisible hand of invention and adaptation. It is advances like these, placing new creative tools into the hands of empowered individuals and small groups, that have shaped our destiny as humans. Whether it be campfires, currencies, or corporations, nothing so profoundly shapes the destiny and evolution of humankind as those inventions that empower everyday people. Today we are bearing witness to this power being applied to the boundless frontier called space.
On a trajectory reminiscent of the early years of the desktop computer, the world is witnessing the transition from a top-down government-planned economic sector into one that portends to alter the destiny of not just today’s economy but ultimately the very evolution of humankind. The old space order is tumbling, toppling government bureaucracies and fashioning up new economic and physical environments into which both business and people will be adapting. Even the inveterate National Space Symposium, the annual gathering in Colorado Springs of the establishment leaders from the US and countries all over the world, is adjusting after thirty-five years to adapt itself to the tsunami that’s upon the industry.
For the first time, the real buzz in Colorado last week was far less about where the government is leading society and much more about how it is reacting to the explosive growth in commercial space. The hundreds of commercial satellites launched in the past year and the thousands to soon follow have put the Pentagon’s recently established Space Development Agency, the office now charged with the future of the nation’s security in space, at the forefront of space policy execution. Though not without controversy from the old guard, the agency’s direction already appears very clear: leverage commercial small satellite solutions to quickly augment current architectures. There has never been a more exciting time to be alive and participate in the challenges, struggles, and victories of humanity’s exploration of this final frontier.
The space data revolution is already underway leveraging GPS and remote sensing satellites to revolutionize the transportation industry with rideshare companies, as well as precision farming. In the next ten years, the world will observe not only the proliferation of tens of thousands of new satellites on orbit but also thousands of new commercial space companies routinely applying advances in commercial processors, networking technologies and machine learning to perform functions inconceivable only a decade ago. Within this revolution, there will be opportunity and peril for national security and commercial space. The opportunities to shape a better environment through precise knowledge of the impact of the human footprint and to optimize resource production, distribution and consumption are nearly unlimited. In the coming years, new forms and types of space data will continue to proliferate and become integral in all aspects of the private sector economy.
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As these highly competitive space companies ignite productivity gains and governments sink deeper in debt, nations will depend more and more on the commercial industry to provision space goods and services. The web-enabled leveling of technical prowess and education access, combined with freer markets and increasing trade will ensure continued exploitation of this domain. Each success that these commercial companies and their customers demonstrate is another nail in the coffin of last century’s planned space economy, one of the last remaining vestiges of the Cold War. Proper regulation and oversight by government organizations at all levels will be necessary for sustainable growth and to minimize the ills often associated with disruptive economic forces. This new growth sector is creating high wage jobs today and will disrupt some very expensive government space programs, allowing for far less public funding needed to ensure the nation’s security and general welfare.
Today’s advancing information technology, an unprecedented supply of investment capital, and a geopolitical landscape conducive to global initiatives are the primordial soup for a 21st-century of space mavericks to lead humanity into its next great adventure. The information revolution, especially through the web and social media, has made the world a virtual small town. The space race will not only make the earth feel small but by the end of it, the solar system. Whether it’s satellites as sentinels working to keep our environment cleaner and safer, or space tourism enlightening humanity’s spirit, this will be an era like no other. Rather than waiting for a retrospective after this revolution is over, readers of this space will experience it as it’s happening.
Charles Beames Contributor
I am currently the Executive Chairman of York Space Systems, a leader in commercial satellite design and manufacturing, as well as Chairman of the SmallSat Alliance, an organization advocating for the future of this remarkably evolving industry. I’m also an active early stage investor in the entrepreneurial space. Prior to my current chairmanships, I was President of Vulcan Aerospace, responsible for asset allocation within a privately held aerospace investment portfolio exceeding $1B. From 2009 to 2013, I was a senior executive at the Pentagon responsible for all space & intelligence acquisitions, exceeding $80B annually. I offer unique insights into current industry trends affecting commercial and private space companies and national security. I’m also a retired Air Force Colonel, having served 23 years in space & intelligence leadership positions around the world. At Forbes, my focus is on the promise of this new growth sector and what the proliferation of this new space movement means for industry stakeholders across the board
