Space exploration isn’t just limited to NASA and other government entities anymore. Recently, we’ve seen a switch from government-owned agencies to private space companies. As a result, many wealthy individuals are interested in exploring space for different reasons. While private space exploration has numerous benefits for the entire planet, many wonder about the downsides.
Let’s dive into private space exploration and examine the pros and cons.
What Is Private Space Exploration?
Let’s start by defining space exploration as using technology and astronomy to explore outer space. Space exploration enables us to confirm or reject the scientific theories developed on Earth.
The 20th century was a turning point for space exploration due to numerous discoveries and milestones. Humans have successfully launched the first satellite, sent the first mammal to space, taken the first photograph of Earth from its orbit, landed on the moon, traveled to outer space, etc. While these discoveries are incredible, space exploration has existed for centuries, and everything humans have learned in the past has made the achievements possible.
Until the beginning of the 21st century, most space exploration was directed by government-owned agencies like NASA (the U.S.), Roscosmos (Russia, previously the Soviet Union), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), ISRO (India), etc. Then, we noticed an emergence of private space companies. While government-owned agencies continued to operate, private companies started conducting their own research to achieve different goals.
What exactly is private space exploration? It’s still the use of technology and astronomy to explore outer space. The only difference is that private space exploration is funded by an entity instead of a government agency. Most private space companies are owned by wealthy individuals investing millions of dollars into the technology and workforce.
Major Players
You may have heard of the space race, a 20th-century competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The two countries competed to prove their superiority in terms of technology and achievements. The Soviet Union was the first to launch an Earth-orbiting satellite and send a mammal — a dog named Laika — into space. The U.S. was the first to launch a weather satellite to space and obtain photos of Earth. Then, the Soviet Union hit back and sent the first man to space. Ultimately, the U.S. won the race by being the first to send men to the moon.
Today, we are in the middle of another competition: the billionaire space race. Several major players have entered the space exploration and tourism industry with different ambitions and goals they want to achieve as soon as possible. Here are some of these players:
Richard Branson
Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and business magnate. He’s known as the founder of the Virgin Group, a corporation that owns more than 400 companies worldwide.
In 2004, Branson founded Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company headquartered in California. Branson established the company because he recognized the importance of space tourism and commercial spacecraft.
On July 11, 2021, Branson and three employees traveled to outer space. Branson became the first private space company owner to travel to space and the first person to travel in the space vehicle he funded.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman known for founding Amazon. As of July 2022, Bezos is the second-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of over $135 billion. In 2000, Bezos founded a human spaceflight startup called Blue Origin.
The company’s primary goals are reducing costs, increasing space travel safety, and developing a revolutionary launch vehicle.
In 2022, Jeff Bezos became the second human to travel to space in a vehicle he funded, only nine days after Richard Branson. New Shepard’s vehicle is among the top innovations because it uses clean-burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, making it one of the cleanest space vehicles ever.
Elon Musk
We can’t talk about the major players in the private space industry without mentioning Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person with a net worth of more than $220 billion.
In 2002, Elon Musk founded SpaceX, a company that designs, manufactures, and launches spacecraft and rockets. Musk’s goals are reducing space transportation costs and creating reusable innovative space vehicles. The ultimate goal is to colonize Mars.
Although Musk hasn’t traveled to space (yet), unlike Branson and Bezos, his company has made the headlines several times. In 2010, SpaceX became the first company to successfully launch a payload to orbit and return it to Earth. Moreover, the company’s Starlink satellites provide information to the NOAA and improve space weather forecasts that are vital for safe space exploration. Musk stated that Starlink satellites would offer internet access from every Earth location once fully operational.
Besides the three, many other notable names in the industry want to take the lead in the billionaire space race. Hence, many can’t help but wonder whether the privatization of space exploration is the right path.
The Pros and Cons of Private Space Exploration
Private space exploration has its advantages and drawbacks. Let’s check them out.
The Pros
Many people claim private space exploration has numerous benefits. Here are some of them.
Innovation
Traveling to space was only a dream until the second half of the 20th century. We’ve seen many innovations and technological advancements that have allowed humanity to reach numerous milestones. Yet, although we’ve learned a lot about outer space, the vast majority of the universe remains unknown.
This uncertainty and the challenges of space exploration represent the driving force for innovations. We are hungry for knowledge, excitement, and discoveries. This results in a continuous effort to develop more advanced, reliable, and efficient systems.
Private space company owners may have different ambitions, but they all contribute to the modernization and development of the technology used for space exploration.
Private space exploration supports innovation and prosperity. We’ve already seen artificial satellites, cleaner vehicles, and other ground-breaking discoveries, so who knows what’s next?
Inspiration
In 2021, millions of people watched Richard Branson, and Jeff Bezos fly to space in the vehicles their companies developed. If anything, such missions show us that anything’s possible, sparking curiosity and inspiration.
Private space exploration pushes the limits and inspires people to think outside the box (or the planet). It makes us question our limits, expands our views, and plants seeds for new ideas. Learning more about the universe allows us to change our perspectives and priorities.
A great example of how space exploration can affect us is the Earthrise photo of Earth taken from lunar orbit in 1968. This photo shows the Earth and some of the moon’s surface. In the photo, our planet looks isolated and fragile, and many think it shows how small we are and how we need to take care of the Earth.
Partnership
Contrary to popular belief, private space companies can’t do whatever they want. They must follow specific laws and regulations that allow them to operate and conduct research. Although there is a division between the public and private sectors, like in any other industry, these two sectors often work together.
SpaceX and NASA are excellent examples of a partnership between a private space company and a government-owned agency. SpaceX has become NASA’s “space taxi” because the company transports NASA’s astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
This and similar partnerships can only encourage more discoveries and innovations.
New Discoveries
All private space company owners entered the industry for a reason. Whether it’s colonizing Mars or creating reusable space vehicles, one thing is sure: the ambitions and dreams of these wealthy individuals have and will lead us to new discoveries about the universe.
Investments
As you may know, space exploration is costly. Every mission costs millions of dollars, not to mention the added costs of research, preparation, and construction of the space vehicles. Hence, it’s no surprise that all private space company owners are wealthy.
These individuals know how expensive space exploration is and are willing to invest billions of dollars into the industry. But, of course, they invest this money to achieve their goals. But it’s essential to look at the big picture here. Any discovery by private space companies could be beneficial for all of humanity.
Addressing Global Challenges
We often forget how dependent we are on space technology. For example, many don’t know that NASA is responsible for discovering the technology for vacuum cleaners, invisible braces, and even baby formula. In addition, space exploration allows us to enjoy the internet, navigation, camera sensors, and cardiac pumps.
Therefore, space exploration isn’t just about space. Learning about and overcoming the challenges related to space exploration has led to many discoveries in areas like health and medicine, transportation, public safety, IT, the environment, etc.
Thanks to space exploration, we may be able to combat some challenges we’re faced with on Earth, including disease, air pollution, and climate change, to name a few.
Knowledge Generation
Space exploration enables us to learn so much about the universe. In fact, space is so big that we will probably never be able to explore it entirely. Everything we learn about outer space can be used not only for further space exploration but for other sectors and industries.
After all, we are curious creatures with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Looking at the last few centuries, we can see how far our drive to learn and improve has gotten us.
More Jobs for People From Space Industry
According to the Space Foundation, more than 140,000 people work in the private space industry in the U.S., which is impressive. Since the sector is growing rapidly, private space companies hire more people. All kinds of workers are needed, regardless of their educational background. Besides astronauts and scientists, companies are hiring administrative workers, IT experts, engineers, electricians, chemists, and essential support personnel.
Establishing Contact With Extraterrestrial Life
One of the biggest mysteries is whether life exists outside of our planet. Although we still don’t have the answer, private space exploration could help us find extraterrestrial life, if there is any. While the universe is vast, and the chances of us stumbling upon extraterrestrial life forms are minimal, there’s always hope.
Cons
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of private space exploration, it’s time we looked at some drawbacks.
Cost
Space exploration is costly. While wealthy individuals owning private space companies have no problem investing billions of dollars into the latest technology, one can’t help but wonder whether this is a waste.
Many people argue this money could go elsewhere. For example, the money invested in private space exploration could be used to improve human lives on Earth in numerous ways. Instead of investing in space exploration, billionaires could invest in medicine, environmental protection, renewable energy sources, and fighting poverty.
Although many people criticize private space exploration, there isn’t much we can do to stop it. After all, private space company owners have money to invest and can support whatever cause they believe in.
Risks
Traveling to space is risky and, unfortunately, can result in tragedies. Unfortunately, in the last few decades, many people have lost their lives in space.
While technology has come a long way and space travel has become much safer, it doesn’t mean there’s no risk. Even after years of research and millions of dollars invested in the best equipment, tragedies can still happen.
Everyone who decides to travel to space, whether for scientific or commercial purposes, enters the rocket knowing they may not return to Earth.
Closed Circle
Private space exploration is reserved only for billionaires like Bezos, Musk, or Branson. Hence, this industry is limited to a few privileged individuals. This sparks an ongoing debate about whether the new billionaire space race benefits humanity. Many argue that private space exploration is only a way for wealthy individuals to enjoy self-indulgent adventures; others claim these individuals are vital for solving the world’s biggest challenges.
Either way, private space exploration remains a closed circle to most “ordinary” people.
Pollution
Space exploration isn’t really the best way to preserve the environment. Since figuring out a way to fight pollution is one of the burning topics, it’s understandable many are against space exploration in general.
With the emergence of private space companies and their satellites and launch vehicles, we’ve seen an increase in space traffic. But unfortunately, every launch takes a toll on our environment; the carbon left behind affects the stratosphere and damages the ozone layer.
While some space vehicles like Bezos’ New Shepard are less damaging to the environment than others, the adverse effects are still present.
International Tensions
We’ve already mentioned the space race from the 20th century that involved the two Cold War participants, the Soviet Union and the U.S. The two countries raced to achieve spaceflight superiority.
As more private space companies emerge from different countries, many fear that conflicts of interest and disagreements could lead to international tensions.
Health Concerns
Although it may seem fun on TV, spending time in space isn’t exactly a walk in the park. There are numerous health concerns one needs to be aware of.
Spending a lot of time in a confined space with no family and friends can affect our mental health. While on a mission, astronauts have no privacy and no ability to stretch their legs or even breathe fresh air. Although every astronaut needs to undergo extensive screening and evaluation before they’re hired, their behavior can change once they’re in space for an extended period. Anyone who spends days or months in space can suffer from symptoms like sleep problems, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Another health concern is space radiation. The radiation from space increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular problems, and cognitive impairment and slows cell regeneration.
Spending time in space causes bone and muscle loss. Astronauts can slow this down by exercising while on a mission, but some bone and muscle loss is inevitable for now.
As you can see, space exploration takes a toll on human health in many ways. Hence, one can’t help but wonder whether achieving some wealthy entrepreneur’s dream is worth jeopardizing human lives.
No Results
One of the worst aspects of space exploration is that the results are never guaranteed. One can invest billions of dollars, hire the best experts, and spend years conducting research, and there could still be no results or ground-breaking discoveries.
So, maybe this money, time, and resources could be redirected to something else where the results could be more likely to benefit humanity.
Establishing Contact With Extraterrestrial Life
We’ve placed this in both the pros and the cons. Why? While discovering extraterrestrial life would be significant, there’s no way of knowing whether this would be good or bad. We can’t say if the potential extraterrestrial life forms are peaceful. They may have the power to destroy our entire planet, so many who believe there’s life out there say exploring space is like poking a bear.
Are You Over the Moon About Private Space Exploration?
Some support private space exploration, while others argue it wastes time and valuable resources. Either way, it seems this industry is here to stay, so it’s best to focus on the positive aspects and accept this shift towards the private sector. Although dangerous and unpredictable, private space exploration may be the path toward exciting new discoveries.