A new survey catalogs Americans’ expectations about the future of space, from NASA to SpaceX. Two space policy experts describe how these results stack up against the current state of space affairs.
The Moon marks new territory for commercial, military and geopolitical interests.
NASA/JPL/Cassini Imaging Team/University of Arizona
While a return to the Moon will allow the U.S. to collaborate with other nations interested in space, this endeavor is also complicated by geopolitical tensions.
NASA’s Artemis I Space Launch System rocket, with the Orion capsule attached, launches at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Spacecraft are just a small part of what it takes for humans to become an interplanetary species. A political science professor explains how there is much more to creating a spacefaring society.
Private companies have launched dozens of imaging satellites – like the two small boxes in the middle of the photo – into orbit in recent years.
NASA/Steve Jurvetson
Private satellite companies have boomed in recent years, and many experts have wondered what role they would play in a conflict. They have proved to be invaluable to Ukraine in recent months.
India’s Chandrayaan-2 Moon mission blasts off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, on 22 July 2019.
Indian Space Research Organisation/EPA
Nicholas Borroz, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
India’s Moon shot isn’t just about prestige. As launch costs fall, the space economy is poised to boom. A lengthening list of nations is eyeing the sky.
Minutes after launching the Falcon Heavy rocket, SpaceX was livestreaming footage from the Tesla Roadster it released into space.
SpaceX
SpaceX’s advances in space technology have reduced barriers to space and changed the direction of American space policy, but it is not without its challenges.