launch the second-generation satellite network in ten years, with a new business
plan that included the commercialization of an innovative satellite monitoring service for worldwide air traffic control.
22
Iridium therefore remains a protagonist of
the Space Economy even into the twenty-first century, transforming from a space
wreck to a modern flight controller. Nevertheless, its troubled story remains an
example for all those who undertake space commercial initiatives.
Nowadays, private commercial activities have strengthened interest in space
exploration once more. Thanks to these new forms of space entrepreneurs, the
Space Economy 2.0 appears to be more attainable.
Former NASA astronaut and geologist Harrison Schmitt
23
spent three days on
the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. He and many others believe that helium3
24
can be extracted from our natural satellite to produce clean nuclear energy.
According to Schmitt, the federal government will initially support and co-finance
such initiatives – as was done in the twentieth century for commercial aviation –
but then private entrepreneurship will be able to go where the government will no
longer keep up. This camp believes that only this type of non-governmental organization will be able to sustain the necessary effort to make this type of business
profitable in the long term.
However, the Moon may not be the ideal target, because a mining mission on
its surface may take thousands of times more energy and fuel than the Apollo missions. Instead, given the lower gravity force, it would be easier to land robots or
astronauts on the asteroids of the solar system, which contain many types of metals, some of which are highly precious. Between Mars and Jupiter there are millions of asteroids of all sizes, from pebbles to small moons with a diameter of a
few hundred miles. About 15,000, called NEA’s (Near Earth Asteroids), have
been discovered and have gained the attention of entrepreneurs and governments
interested in exploiting their mineral resources.
22
The advantage of an air traffic control satellite system is the satellites’ ability to exchange
data with each other without ground stations. An aircraft equipped with an Automatic Dependent
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder integrated with a GPS receiver will broadcast its
position at 1090 MHz not only on Earth but also to satellites in space, which will share it with
each other in orbit until one of them is close to a ground station and can transmit it to the control tower. Each flight can therefore be kept under control in any area of the planet, and events
such as the Malaysia Airline flight 370 that disappeared in 2014 can be, if not avoided, at least
controlled. In addition, routes can be optimized to save time and fuel. The American Federal
Aviation Authority plans to issue a Directive to make ADS-B transponders mandatory.
23
Schmitt, Harrison. 2006. Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the
Human Settlement of Space. Praxis Publishing.
24
https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/
Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface.
Space Economy: A Business On the Launch Pad 89
plan that included the commercialization of an innovative satellite monitoring service for worldwide air traffic control.
22
Iridium therefore remains a protagonist of
the Space Economy even into the twenty-first century, transforming from a space
wreck to a modern flight controller. Nevertheless, its troubled story remains an
example for all those who undertake space commercial initiatives.
Nowadays, private commercial activities have strengthened interest in space
exploration once more. Thanks to these new forms of space entrepreneurs, the
Space Economy 2.0 appears to be more attainable.
Former NASA astronaut and geologist Harrison Schmitt
23
spent three days on
the Moon during the Apollo 17 mission. He and many others believe that helium3
24
can be extracted from our natural satellite to produce clean nuclear energy.
According to Schmitt, the federal government will initially support and co-finance
such initiatives – as was done in the twentieth century for commercial aviation –
but then private entrepreneurship will be able to go where the government will no
longer keep up. This camp believes that only this type of non-governmental organization will be able to sustain the necessary effort to make this type of business
profitable in the long term.
However, the Moon may not be the ideal target, because a mining mission on
its surface may take thousands of times more energy and fuel than the Apollo missions. Instead, given the lower gravity force, it would be easier to land robots or
astronauts on the asteroids of the solar system, which contain many types of metals, some of which are highly precious. Between Mars and Jupiter there are millions of asteroids of all sizes, from pebbles to small moons with a diameter of a
few hundred miles. About 15,000, called NEA’s (Near Earth Asteroids), have
been discovered and have gained the attention of entrepreneurs and governments
interested in exploiting their mineral resources.
22
The advantage of an air traffic control satellite system is the satellites’ ability to exchange
data with each other without ground stations. An aircraft equipped with an Automatic Dependent
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponder integrated with a GPS receiver will broadcast its
position at 1090 MHz not only on Earth but also to satellites in space, which will share it with
each other in orbit until one of them is close to a ground station and can transmit it to the control tower. Each flight can therefore be kept under control in any area of the planet, and events
such as the Malaysia Airline flight 370 that disappeared in 2014 can be, if not avoided, at least
controlled. In addition, routes can be optimized to save time and fuel. The American Federal
Aviation Authority plans to issue a Directive to make ADS-B transponders mandatory.
23
Schmitt, Harrison. 2006. Return to the Moon: Exploration, Enterprise, and Energy in the
Human Settlement of Space. Praxis Publishing.
24
https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/
Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface.
Space Economy: A Business On the Launch Pad 89